Activity classification based on inactivity types

ABSTRACT

The technology disclosed here involves classifying activity data based on inactivity types. An example method involves receiving, by a processor, activity data of one or more sensors, the activity data comprising a plurality of sensor measurements associated with multiple parameters monitored during an activity session of a user; retrieving a set of criteria that comprises thresholds to detect a plurality of inactivity types, wherein the set comprises a criterion related to a physical activity; classifying, by the processor based on the set of criteria, the received activity data of the one or more sensors into one or more segments, wherein the one or more segments comprise a segment comprising a portion of the activity data corresponding to an inactivity type of the plurality of inactivity types; and generating output based on the classifying.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No.16/556,892, filed Aug. 30, 2019, entitled “Automated Prescription ofActivity Based on Physical Activity Data” which is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 15/035,090, filed May 6, 2016, entitled “AutomatedPrescription of Activity Based on Physical Activity Data” which is aNational Phase entry of PCT/NZ2014/050010, filed Nov. 10, 2014, whichclaims the benefit of priority to New Zealand Patent Application No.617514, filed Nov. 8, 2013, the contents of each being herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entireties

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to exercise and/or activity monitoring and inparticular to interpretation of activity and exercise data for exerciseplan or activity plan adjustment and for providing coaching feedback toa user.

BACKGROUND

Exercise and activity devices that measure biometric and environmentaldata such as heart rate, speed, leg or arm turnover or stroke rate,altitude, temperature, heart rate variability, power, slope, distanceper turnover, location, distance, time and other parameters currentlyexist. This data is displayed on a watch or device screen or spokenthrough headphones. These systems are measuring or data devices.

These devices are unable to clearly interpret collected data and providesolutions to improve a user's physical abilities in fitness and sportstraining. FIG. 1 demonstrates the difficulty in interpreting currentlyavailable recorded raw data that is provided to users for their ownanalysis. This means that once the activity data is collected, the usermust have the relevant level of skill to analyse and interpret it andthen decide upon the changes that they would make to their futureexercise to optimize their time and effort during training and tomaximize the improvements. This currently occurs post exercise but alsoin real time but in all cases requires someone skilled in the art toanalyse the data.

In most cases, users ultimately do not want data from a measuring devicewhich is the current paradigm, they want to know what was correct aboutwhat they did, what problems and solutions they need to work on and whatto do next. They need someone or something to interpret the data andprovide intelligent feedback.

Hundreds of millions of people around the world exercise ineffectivelydue to poor understanding of the appropriate strategies to maximizingfitness, sports performance and health improvements through activity. Ina percentage of cases incorrect activity and exercise methods lead toneedless and avoidable injury, illness and even death which is bothunfortunate and costly.

Most people engage in exercise and activity without the presence ofsomeone skilled in the art to guide them.

Should they exercise for longer? Should they do another hill? Shouldthey do speed work or should they stop?

This is extremely important and relevant currently for creating safer,more effective activity and exercise.

One issue is to find a way to utilise sensors and algorithms to provideprescriptive plan changes and coaching advice to an unsupervised userengaged in exercise and activities.

This problem requires a method for understanding what the user is doingthrough contextualising and classifying different user activity intoActivity Type segments and an ability to update these activities intothe future and potentially provide advice that causes the user to makemodifications to future activities.

There have been a number of attempts to correct this problem.

De Vries 2001 application EP1159989 disclosed a method, device andsystem for generating and/or adjusting a training schedule based on dataor preferences that are input by a user or automatically from one ormore sensors. It also discloses a server system for selecting a trainingschedule from a database or adjusting an earlier schedule in accordancewith obtained parameters.

It does not disclose contextualisation of an activity segment or aclassification of an activity within a period of different activities.It also does not disclose automated modifications of future activitysegments within a period of different activities or providing coachingadvice based on modifications to future activity.

In 2004 van Diemen disclosed in NL1027059 a method, device and systemfor generating and/or adjusting a training schedule.

Contextualisation of an activity segment or classification of anactivity were not disclosed. Automated modifications of future activitysegments and providing advice based on future activity segmentmodifications was also not disclosed.

Kurunmaki in U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,827 disclosed a method and system fordetermining and adapting a training plan for a user based on a trainingload for a user within a template and progress within a template. Thiswas achieved with respect to a training load such that, over a timeperiod, the user reaches a cumulative load target.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,827 did not disclose contextualisation of anactivity segment or the classification of an activity and did not coverautomated modifications of future activity segments or providingcoaching advice based on modifications to future activity.

There have also been some attempts to solve parts of this problem buteach method does not employ contextualisation of activity segments orthe methodology of converting performance measures based oncontextualised activity into modifications to an Activity Plan or adviceon alterations in future behaviour for activity.

An example is that the state of the art has developed such that somelevel of classification is possible known as Training Zones. There is asignificant problem with this current activity measurement paradigm inwhich coaching information and activity plan updates are based on asingle parameter.

To explain, Training Zones involve a single measured parameter likeheart rate, speed, power or limb turnover and are used where the usermust maintain a prescribed level like heart rate within a band or zonelike 165 to 175 heart beats per minute. (see FIG. 2) This is measuredover time or distance. The Heart Rate Training Zones in FIG. 2 do notmake analysis of the data any easier.

There are systems currently available where Training Zones can beclassified and data can be recorded if it conforms to the prescribedparameter threshold as a classified ‘Training Zone’ measuring ‘Time inZone’.

BUT multiple parameters are not recorded in concert to classify anActivity Type and they are not used for the purposes of automatedinterpretation and coaching prescription and modification of a plan.

Training Zones are given names to indicate what they might be like sotitles like ‘fat loss zone’ or ‘E2 zone’, ‘Maximal zone’, ‘Race Pacezone’ are used. While these zones are excellent for training, like “gointo the Easy zone” or “go into the Fast zone” they are not very goodfor data analysis. This is because there are a number of assumptionsmade when using

Training Zones.

It is assumed that when you should go into the Easy Training Zone thatyou're not going to be climbing a steep hill. Going into a SpeedTraining Zone assumes you are on the flat and not running up that steephill.

These scenarios are sufficient if there is no need for accurateautomated analysis but as soon as there is a requirement to measureaccurately what the user is doing, other parameters are necessary.

Questions arise like was the ‘Speed Training Zone’ training conducted onthe flat because if it was not on the flat, it shouldn't be classed asSpeed Training because comparing Speed Training on the flat with SpeedTraining up a hill will lead to large errors in automated coachingfeedback

Training Zones are mono parameter classifications and therefore do notcontextualise activity and any advice provided or modifications to anActivity Plan are subject to large errors.

The state of the art also employs a number of performance measures likeEPOC, Training Effectiveness, Acute Training Load, Chronic TrainingLoad, Training Stress Score, Heart Rate Variability, VO2max and exerciseeconomy but each does not have a method for modifying Activity Typesegments in planned future Activity Sessions or does not provide advicethat modifies future behaviour for activity based on automated analysisof current Activity Type segments.

The state of the art also features some measures around compliance butonce again these do not feature measuring Activity Type segments.

In some cases, coaches and trainers manually use multiple zones inconcert with each other to describe how a user should train but do notuse multiple parameters in concert to define the classification of anActivity Type to automatically detect data that conforms to particularparameter zone combinations for automatic classification, interpretationand for providing coaching prescription.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and systemfor accurate automated activity interpretation and prescription whichcan be in the form of advice or modification of an activity session orlong term Activity Plan in real time or post activity, or to at leastprovide the public with a useful choice.

Multi parameter contextualisation for classifying activities is used forupdating future classified Activity Type segments within an Activitysession or within a long term Activity Plan and to provide advice on auser's behavioural modifications to future activity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment the invention comprises a method of monitoring anactivity session. The method comprises receiving activity dataindicative of at least one activity performed during the activitysession, the activity data comprising a plurality of measurementsassociated to a plurality of parameters monitored during the activitysession; a processor comparing at least some of the receivedmeasurements associated to at least two of the parameters with at leastone set of a plurality of sets of measurements stored on a tangiblecomputer readable medium; and a processor generating a training planbased at least partly on a comparison between the received measurementsand the stored measurements.

The term “comprising” as used in this specification means “consisting atleast in part of”. When interpreting each statement in thisspecification that includes the term “comprising”, features other thanthat or those prefaced by the term may also be present. Related termssuch as “comprise” and “comprises” are to be interpreted in the samemanner.

Preferably the plurality of sets of stored measurements are associatedto respective activity types.

Preferably the method further comprises determining an activity typewithin the activity session at least partly from comparing the at leastsome of the received measurements with the sets of stored measurements.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises an effort parameter.Preferably the effort parameter comprises one of heart rate, speed,heart rate variability, respiration rate, power, energy expenditure,acceleration and force.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a resistance parameter.Preferably the resistance parameter comprises one of altitude, slope,gradient, stride rate, stroke rate, cadence, and distance per limbturnover.

Preferably comparing the received measurements associated to theresistance parameter comprises determining an increase in altitude, adecrease in altitude and/or a constant altitude.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a turnover parameter.Preferably the turnover parameter comprises one of stride rate, cadence,and stroke rate.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a biomedical parameter.Preferably the biomedical parameter comprises one of ECG and BP.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a biomechanical parameter.Preferably the biomechanical parameter comprises one of verticaloscillation, leg power balance, arm power balance, power through rangeof motion, footstrike impact, time on ground, and footstrike pattern.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises an environmental parameter.Preferably the environmental parameter comprises one of temperature,humidity, and wind speed.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a cardiorespiratoryparameter. Preferably the cardiorespiratory parameter comprises one ofoxygen uptake and oxygen saturation.

Preferably comparing the received measurements associated to the atleast two parameters includes comparing the received measurementsagainst at least one lower threshold.

Preferably comparing the received measurements associated to the atleast two parameters includes comparing the received measurementsagainst at least one upper threshold.

Preferably comparing the received measurements associated to the effortparameter comprises comparing the received measurements against at leastone lower threshold and at least one upper threshold.

Preferably the stored measurements comprise a training plan.

Preferably comparing the received measurements associated to at leasttwo parameters includes determining conformity with the training plan.

Preferably conformity with the training plan is determined at leastpartly from one or more of duration, distance, intensity, number ofdistinct activity types, number of instances of an activity type, andrest periods between activity types.

Preferably comparing the received measurements associated to at leasttwo parameters includes determining one of an improvement, static state,and deterioration in physical ability.

Preferably the method further comprises determining one or morephysiological performance measures. Preferably the performancemeasure(s) include(s) one or more of cardiovascular, neurocardio, andmuscular.

Preferably comparing the received measurements associated to at leasttwo parameters includes determining an overall performance measure.

Preferably the method further comprises determining an overallperformance measure at least partly from scores assigned to one or moreof endurance, strength endurance, and speed.

Preferably the training plan represents a planned workout to beperformed by a user.

Preferably the method further comprises transmitting an alert to a userwhile the user performs the planned workout.

Preferably the alert comprises an instruction to the user to modify theplanned workout.

Preferably the alert comprises a modification to the training plan.

Preferably the training plan represents historical workout dataassociated to a user.

Preferably generating the training plan comprises generating amodification to an existing training plan.

Preferably the training plan represents a modification based on abenchmark parameter.

Preferably the method further comprises transmitting an alert to a userwhile the user performs the activity session.

Preferably the alert comprises an instruction to the user to modify theactivity session.

In an embodiment the invention comprises a tangible computer readablemedium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, whenexecuted by a processor, cause the processor to perform at least onemethod described herein.

In an embodiment the invention comprises an activity monitoring system.The system comprises a display; a processor; and a tangible computerreadable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructionsthat, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform atleast one method described herein.

In an embodiment the invention comprises an exercise coaching system.The system comprises a data acquisition module adapted to receiveactivity data indicative of at least one activity performed during anactivity session, the activity data comprising a plurality ofmeasurements associated to a plurality of parameters monitored duringthe activity session; a classification engine adapted to compare atleast some of the received measurements associated to at least two ofthe parameters with at least one set of a plurality of sets ofmeasurements stored on a tangible computer readable medium; and atraining plan generator adapted to generate a training plan based atleast partly on a comparison between the received measurements and thestored measurements.

Preferably the system further comprises a plurality of data measurementdevices adapted to measure activity data indicative of at least oneactivity performed during the activity session, the data acquisitionmodule adapted to receive the activity data from the data measurementdevices.

Preferably the system further comprises an alert generator configured togenerate an alert.

Preferably the plurality of sets of stored measurements are associatedto respective activity types.

Preferably the classification engine is adapted to determine an activitytype within the activity session at least partly from comparing the atleast some of the received measurements with the sets of storedmeasurements.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises an effort parameter.Preferably the effort parameter comprises one of heart rate, speed,heart rate variability, respiration rate, power, energy expenditure,acceleration and force.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a resistance parameter.Preferably the resistance parameter comprises one of altitude, slope,gradient, stride rate, stroke rate, cadence, and distance per limbturnover.

Preferably the classification engine is adapted to determine an increasein altitude, a decrease in altitude and/or a constant altitude.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a turnover parameter.Preferably the turnover parameter comprises one of stride rate, cadence,and stroke rate.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a biomedical parameter.Preferably the biomedical parameter comprises one of ECG and BP.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a biomechanical parameter.Preferably the biomechanical parameter comprises one of verticaloscillation, leg power balance, arm power balance, power through rangeof motion, footstrike impact, time on ground, and footstrike pattern.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises an environmental parameter.Preferably the environmental parameter comprises one of temperature,humidity, and wind speed.

Preferably one of the parameters comprises a cardiorespiratoryparameter. Preferably the cardiorespiratory parameter comprises one ofoxygen uptake and oxygen saturation.

Preferably the classification engine is adapted to compare the receivedmeasurements against at least one lower threshold.

Preferably the classification engine is adapted to compare the receivedmeasurements against at least one upper threshold.

Preferably the classification engine is adapted to compare the receivedmeasurements against at least one lower threshold and at least one upperthreshold.

Preferably the stored measurements comprise a training plan.

Preferably the system further comprises a compliance engine adapted todetermine conformity of the received measurements associated to at leasttwo parameters with the training plan.

Preferably the compliance engine determines conformity with the trainingplan at least partly from one or more of duration, distance, intensity,number of distinct activity types, number of instances of an activitytype, and rest periods between activity types.

Preferably the system further comprises a performance engine adapted todetermine one of an improvement, static state, and deterioration inphysical ability.

Preferably the performance engine is adapted to determine one or morephysiological performance measures.

Preferably the performance measure(s) include(s) one or more ofcardiovascular, neurocardio, and muscular.

Preferably the performance engine is adapted to determine an overallperformance measure.

Preferably the performance engine is adapted to determine an overallperformance measure at least partly from scores assigned to one or moreof endurance, strength endurance, and speed.

Preferably the training plan represents a planned workout to beperformed by a user.

Preferably the training plan represents historical workout dataassociated to a user.

Preferably the training plan generator is adapted to generate amodification to an existing training plan.

Preferably the training plan represents a modification based on abenchmark parameter.

Preferably the alert generator is adapted to transmit an alert to a userwhile the user performs a planned workout.

Preferably the alert comprises an instruction to the user to modify aplanned workout.

Preferably the alert comprises a modification to a training plan.

Preferably the alert generator is adapted to generate an alert to a userwhile the user performs an activity session.

Preferably the alert comprises an instruction to the user to modify theactivity session.

Described herein is a method of analysing an activity sessioncomprising:

-   -   receiving activity data over a period of time or distance        indicative of one or more activities performed during the        activity session, said data relating to at least one parameter        monitored during the activity session,    -   and    -   utilising an exercise coaching system to compare current data        for an Activity Type segment within a workout with historic data        for like Activity Type segment data and benchmark data        thresholds where improvements and deteriorations found in        comparisons elicit automated modifications of aspects of future        Activity Type segments, the coaching system defining a        modification based on at least one satisfied threshold criteria        from at least one monitored parameter.    -   and/or    -   utilising an exercise coaching system to compare current data        for an Activity Type segment within a workout with historic data        for like Activity Type segment data and benchmark data        thresholds where improvements and deteriorations found in        comparisons elicit automated coaching advice, regarding user        modifications of aspects of future activity, the coaching system        defining a modification based on at least one satisfied        threshold criteria from at least one monitored parameter.

Preferably the at least one parameter monitored during the activitysession is obtained from an activity monitoring device and the activitydata is received from the monitoring device. Preferably the data isreceived in real time. Alternatively the data is received post activity.Preferably the device is wearable.

Preferably the data is received as a data stream for each of themonitored parameter(s) or as an Activity Type segment, and utilising aclassification system comprises:

-   -   trawling through at least one data stream and comparing data        points in the stream against one or more pre-stored threshold        criteria associated with the parameter relating to that stream,        determining when corresponding data points of the data streams        relating to the parameters associated with a particular activity        satisfy the one or more threshold criteria defining the        activity, and    -   associating the activity with the data points.

The data may be received and trawled automatically or alternatively thesystem is arranged to enable a user to manually time, distance orlocation stamp a block of activity data (e.g. by pushing a time,distance or location stamp or lap split button on a device) and thestamped block for each monitored parameter is trawled and comparedagainst one or more threshold criteria.

Preferably the method further comprises:

-   -   processing the data points associated with each activity to        determine a level of cardiovascular or muscular performance for        the activity. Preferably processing comprises applying one or        more algorithms that include defining the physiology of        Endurance, Strength Endurance or Speed to the classified data        points to determine the level of performance.

Preferably the method further comprises:

-   -   composing a response based on the level of performance or the        classified data points or both, and    -   outputting the response to the user.

The response may be output in an auditory, graphical and/or text formand may be output to the user in real time or post activity.

The response for example may be in the form of coaching advice which mayalter how the user engages in a particular activity thereby optimisingtheir exercise or activity. It may also alter an activity planassociated with the user.

Coaching advice is information supplied regarding optimising a type ofactivity either by better compliance or technique or based onperformance measures and must involve a detection and a solutioncomponent,

The response may also be manually or automatically output.

Preferably the method further comprises prior to receiving the activitydata presenting or downloading onto a device a fully dynamic andconfigurable activity plan comprising one or more Activity Types to beperformed over multiple activity sessions into the future.

Preferably the activity or workout plan is composed of an overallactivity or workout duration and Activity Type segments within theworkout.

Activity Type segments are defined by multiple parameters usedsimultaneously to describe an activity being composed of an effortparameter like heart rate, power, respiration rate, force, accelerationand a resistance parameter like gradient or change in gradient, slope orchange in slope, change in altitude, the gear a cyclist is in ordistance per turnover. (e.g. stride length, distance per stroke,distance covered for a full pedal revolution).

Once Activity Type segments are defined in some cases they can befurther described in terms of the duration of the Activity Type, numberof instances that the Activity Type will occur within the overallactivity or workout session, and durations of recovery periods betweenActivity Types.

Activities and Workouts are to some extent linked over time through along term Activity Plan. This is because workout volumes (duration,distance or number of instances within a session) follow ascending anddescending sequential progressions over time.

Instances of a particular Activity Type segment occurring over a longterm Activity Plan are also linked in ascending and descendingsequential progressions of volume (duration, distance or number ofinstances within a session).

Different Activity Types ascend and descend at different times throughan Activity Plan in accordance with an overall organizationalprogression of all Activity Types. A long term Activity Plan will occurover one or more weeks.

Preferably the method further comprises updating the Activity Plan for afuture activity session based on the response. (see FIG. 4 to see thefeedback engine)

Updating the Activity Plan may involve overall workout or activitydurations which may include a single workout or may update all sessionsinto the future of the Activity Plan.

Updating Activity Types within the workout or activity duration involvethe number of Activity Type instances, the duration of the ActivityType, the rest periods between Activity Type which can include, effortintensities, turnover rates (e.g. stride rate), distance per turnover(e.g. stride length), force, work, accelerations, and slopes, gradientsand terrain.

This may involve multiple Activity Types within a workout or activitysession.

Preferably the classification system utilises both multi-parameter zonesto identify an activity.

Preferably the alterations to the activity plan involve alterations tomulti parameter Activity Types. Activity Types are made up of parametersthat describe them.

Preferably the adjusting of an Activity Type involves modifications tothe length of the Activity Type, the number of times the Activity Typeis performed during an activity session, the effort of the Activity Typeand the terrain the Activity Type is performed on.

The measure of the length of the Activity Type includes a measure ofduration or distance that the Activity Type should occur over or acombination of both parameters.

The measure of the number of times that the Activity Type should beperformed in a workout involves the number of repetitions the ActivityType should be performed.

The measure of terrain that the Activity Type should be performed onincludes altitude or change in altitude, slope or change in slope orgradient or change in gradient or any combination thereof.

The measure of effort involves a measure of heart rate or change inheart rate, speed or change in speed, power or change in power andrespiration rate and change in respiration rate or any combinationthereof. Heart rate, speed, power and respiration rate measures alsoinclude derivations of heart, speed, power and respiration rateincluding heart rate variability, EPOC, acceleration, force and otherderivations.

Preferably coaching advice is defined by automatically generatedcommentary based on biomechanical technique, control of effort, ActivityPlan and workout compliance, and performance measures.

Coaching advice based on biomechanical aspects may include limb turnoverrate, distance per turnover, posture, variation in footfall time, degreeof foot lift in running, variations between power delivery from left toright limb, ability to provide even power through a cyclic limb action,and pressure points on the foot or applied during the exercise action.

Coaching advice based on control of effort may include pacing, too muchor too little effort in a workout, on the flat or on a hill.

Coaching advice based on Activity Plan and workout compliance mayinclude commentary around the aspects of a workout schedule, futureworkouts, Activity Types and repetitions left to complete in a workout,and level of compliance to a workout or Activity Plan.

Coaching advice based around performance includes commentary on muscularperformance levels, cardiovascular performance levels, speed, power,heart rate, and changes to the workout or Activity Plan based onperformance measures which include derivations of these parameters.

The system applies to sports or activities that involve alternate (e.g.running, walking) and/or cyclic movement of limbs back and forth (e.g.cycling, swimming and kayaking) or where there is combined forwards andbackwards movements of limbs. (e.g. rowing)

Described herein is an exercise coaching system for analysing andinterpreting an activity session for the purposes of coachingprescription, the system comprising:

-   -   an interface for receiving Activity Type segment data indicative        of one or more activities performed during the activity session,        said data relating to at least one parameter monitored during        the exercise session,    -   a processing means for classifying data and comparing current        data for an Activity Type segment within a workout with historic        data for like Activity Type segment data thresholds and        benchmark data thresholds where improvements and deteriorations        found in comparisons elicit automated modifications of aspects        of future Activity Type segments, the coaching system defining a        modification based on at least one satisfied threshold criteria        from at least one monitored parameter, a means of adjusting a        workout plan or long term Activity Plan and providing forms of        coaching advice to a user using the device,

and/or

a processing means for classifying data and comparing current data foran Activity Type segment within a workout with historic data for likeActivity Type segment data thresholds and benchmark data thresholdswhere improvements and deteriorations found in comparisons elicitautomated coaching advice regarding future Activity Type segments, thecoaching system defining a modification based on at least one satisfiedthreshold criteria from at least one monitored parameter, a means ofadjusting a workout plan or long term Activity Plan and providing formsof coaching advice to a user using the device,

-   -   at least one memory component having a classification system,        interpretative algorithms and rules for workout and long term        Activity Plan adjustment, one or more workout plans and long        term Activity Plans and coaching feedback stored therein,    -   to generate modifications to a workout plan or long term        Activity Plan and provide detection of training parameters and        coaching advice to a user using the device.

Preferably the system further comprises one or more activity monitoringdevices, each arranged to obtain data indicative of parameters monitoredduring an activity session.

Preferably the prescription module is remote from the one or moremonitoring devices and each monitoring device is arranged to transmitthe data indicative of the monitored parameters to the prescriptionmodule.

Preferably the system further comprises:

A central station for accommodating the prescription module, and

A receiver for receiving data indicative of multiple parametersmonitored during an activity session from the one or more monitoringdevices.

Alternatively the prescription module is housed within each monitoringdevice.

Preferably the alterations to the activity plan involve alterations tomulti parameter Activity Types. Activity Types are made up of parametersthat describe them.

Preferably the adjusting of an Activity Type involves modifications tothe length of the Activity Type, the number of times the Activity Typeis performed during an activity session, the effort of the Activity Typeand the terrain the Activity Type is performed on.

The measure of the length of the Activity Type includes a measure ofduration or distance that the Activity Type should occur over or incombination.

The measure of the number of times that the Activity Type should beperformed in a workout involves the number of repetitions the ActivityType should be performed.

The measure of terrain that the Activity Type should be performed onincludes altitude or change in altitude, slope or change in slope orgradient or change in gradient or any combination thereof.

The measure of effort involves a measure of heart rate or change inheart rate, speed or change in speed, power or change in power andrespiration rate and change in respiration rate, Heart Rate Variabilityor a change in Heart Rate Variability or any combination thereof. Heartrate, speed, power and respiration rate measures also includederivations of heart, speed, power and respiration rate.

Preferably coaching advice is defined by automatically generatedcommentary based on biomechanical technique, control of effort, ActivityPlan and workout compliance, and performance measures.

Coaching advice based on biomechanical aspects may include limb turnoverrate, distance per turnover, posture, variation in footfall time, degreeof foot left in running, variations between power delivery from left toright limb, ability to provide even power through a cyclic limb action,and pressure points on the foot or applied during the exercise action.

Coaching advice based on control of effort may include pacing, too muchor too little effort in a workout, on the flat or on a hill.

Coaching advice based on Activity Plan and workout compliance mayinclude commentary around the aspects of a workout schedule, futureworkouts, Activity Types and repetitions left to complete in a workout,and level of compliance to a workout or Activity Plan.

Coaching advice based around performance includes commentary on muscularperformance levels, muscular performance levels, speed, power, heartrate, and changes to the workout or Activity Plan based on performancemeasures.

In this specification activity can mean any type of action performed byan individual or group of individuals over a period of time or distance(or both) which may or may not involve movement in general activity,such as lying, sitting down and walking and also sports activities suchas running or cycling. An activity session or workout means a period oftime or distance where an individual performs one or more activities.(Activity Types) Exercise and exercise sessions (or workout) areintended to be covered by the terms activity and activity sessionsrespectively. Activity period refers to the period within an activitysession in which an activity is performed.

Activity Type means a method of describing a form of exercise wheremultiple parameters such as effort (e.g. heart rate, respiration rate orpower) and resistance (e.g. terrain or distance per turnover) are used.Activity Types have thresholds or zones where when all the parametersconform the Activity Type is identified and when not all parametersmatch the system terminates the recording of the data under the labelfor the Activity Type and logs the data for analysis.

Multi Parameter does not mean parameters of the same data measured ondifferent axes like a triaxial accelerometer where the same parameter;acceleration is measured on 3 axes at different orientations.

The term speed is a horizontal speed which can be measured by manysensors and can be inferred by an accelerometer if the correctalgorithms are applied but does not mean that other motion measuresusing an accelerometer mean speed.

Prescription is a term that encompasses two forms of coaching guidance.In its first form, prescription is coaching advice that is elicitedautomatically when interpretative algorithms applied to the classifieddata and other non-classified data cause a coaching comment to beprovided as feedback. The second form is prescription where a workout ischanged in real time or future workouts are automatically modified in along term Activity Plan based on applying interpretative algorithms toclassified and non-classified data.

This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts,elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification ofthe application, individually or collectively, and any or allcombinations of any two or more said parts, elements or features, andwhere specific integers are mentioned herein which have knownequivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such knownequivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually setforth.

The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructionsof which the following gives examples only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described by way ofexample only and with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a prior art data output from a biometric monitoring device,in this case a cycling monitor and presents what a non-expert user mustinterpret to adequately optimize their next exercise session,

FIG. 2 shows typical prior art data output from a cycling biometricmonitoring device utilizing heart rate Training Zones that are presentedto the non-expert user for interpretation to optimize their nextexercise session,

FIG. 3 shows example data from a cycling biometric monitoring deviceutilizing the classification system of the invention into Activity Type,

FIG. 4 is a table showing the elements of the exercise analysis and‘prescription (plan/workout adjustment and coaching advice) provided bythe system known as the Feedback Engine,

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing an overview of a preferred method ofexercise analysis of the invention,

FIG. 6 shows the steps in the Virtual Coaching system when a user usesan exercise Activity

Plan and when no exercise Activity Plan is used,

FIG. 7 shows the steps in the Virtual Coaching system and the Coaching‘Prescription’ aspect of the system,

FIG. 8 shows the detailed steps of the physiological performanceassessment system

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the components associated with thesystem of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

1. Virtual Coach System Overview

One aspect of the proposed method goes beyond the functionality of adata measurement device or a ‘talking heart rate monitor’. Thetechniques described below classify, interpret and provide dynamicfeedback to all those millions of users that have no coach or way ofdetermining how to maximize their exercise and activity whether it befor sport, health or weight loss in real time or post activity.

Referring to FIG. 5, an overview of a preferred method or a system flowdiagram 500 for analysing an activity session is shown. A user of thesystem engaging in an activity session, either prior to or whilst thesystem is being used, gathers information or data related to theactivity or activities performed during the session, preferably using atleast one activity monitoring device and supplies it to the system togain feedback and/or guidance in relation to their fitness goals. Theinformation is received by the system either manually via the userinitiating uploading of the information from one or more datameasurement devices or automatically via one or more data measurementdevices, or from some other source for analysis, and is received and/oranalysed either during activity or post activity. The system may be partof the data measurement device or may be separate, running on a personalcomputer for example, or on a remote server accessible by and incommunication with a personal computer and/or one or more monitoringdevices. In each case, a Data Acquisition Module is employed to receivethe data from such devices.

During analysis the system will identify at step 505 the different typesof activities the user has engaged in (or is engaging in) during theactivity session using a Classification Engine. A classification system,which will be described in more detail below, is used by the system toidentify the activities performed by the user from the activityinformation/data received. The Classification Engine enables the overallsystem to partition the data into one or more data streams or blocksrelating to the one or more activities performed by the user during theactivity session. The data can then be processed and data is interpretedat step 510 while taking the type of activity performed intoconsideration. The classification system defines an activity based on atleast one satisfied threshold criteria from at least one monitoredparameter (other than distance or time or both which define the lengthof the activity or activity session but not the type of activity). Inmost embodiments, the Classification Engine defines an activity usingmulti-parameter zones (i.e. one or more threshold criteria from morethan one parameter) that may occur within an activity session. This forexample may be that during running any speed over 7 km/hr where the userhas a change in altitude is defined as a ‘hill climbing during running’activity, or any period that involves the user moving at 12-14 km/hr,while an accelerometer detects at least 160 steps per min over theperiod and while altitude does not change (flat), is defined as a‘running speed work’ activity.

In accordance with the invention classified activities are identifiedusing one or more data streams first (each stream being associated withone of the parameter(s) used to define a particular classified activityfor example), then the data for the activity is processed specific tothe defined activity as opposed to differently classified ornon-classified activities that have slightly different definitions. Theeffect each type of activity has on the user's overall fitness,performance or fatigue is different and therefore it is necessary todistinguish between them to provide satisfactory analysis andappropriate advice. In some embodiments the data once classified isprocessed (510) for the various identified Activity Types to translatecollective activity data into a tutorial or advice (step 520) forexample. Processing of data requires a Performance Engine and aCompliance Engine to apply their diagnostics to the data received andidentified by the Classification Engine. The data may be processed withor without the rest of the activity session data. The data relating to aparticular activity may be processed against a plan, historic data, anideal zone (the zone all users would ideally fall under—not specific tothe history of the individual but rather applies to all individuals,e.g. an ideal zone for example is a pedal cadence of between 85 and 95revolutions per minute for all cyclists riding at an easy pace), athreshold or environmental conditions for example. At 520 prescriptivemodifications are made based on interpretative analysis produced by theCompliance and Performance Engines. These prescriptive modifications canuse the Training Plan Generator or the Alert Generator Engines. In someembodiments a response is generated from the output of the processingstage which may be advice provided in the form of a prescription (methodfor modifying a plan) or a solution (method for modifying how a userengages in an activity) for example. The advice may be output (step 525)in either a text, auditory or graphical form as opposed to a visual orauditory display of raw or derived exercise data in real time or postactivity.

Advice is a preferable feature of the invention and may alternativelynot be supplied by the system but from a trainer or some other sourcefor example. (See FIG. 4 to see how the Coaching Prescription FeedbackEngines of FIG. 5 fits into the whole system.)

In FIG. 4 at 405, a user is engaging in Activity which could includeexercise. The user has a data measurement device which contains varioussensors in 410. Data is taken in by Data Acquisition Module at 415 to beapplied to the Coaching Prescription Feedback Engines. The CoachingPrescription Feedback Engines is a complete system made up of multipleengines. These include a Classification Engine, a Compliance Engine, aPerformance Engine, a Training Plan Generator and an Alert Generator.

Data is first put through the Classification Engine at 420 to identifyuser activity. At 425, the Compliance Engine and Performance Engineprocess the data via automated analysis and interpretation of theclassified data.

At 430, 435 and 440, advice generation is created either by providing analert to the user through the Alert Generator (440) or by modifyingtheir activity session or activity plan via the Training Plan Generator.(430 and 435)

In some embodiments, all the processes in FIG. 4 can occur on the usersdata measurement device.

In one embodiment the data is automatically received by theclassification system in one or more streams and then trawled, with thedata points being compared against one or more threshold criteriaassociated with the parameter relating to that stream. In an alternativeembodiment the system may be arranged to enable a user to manually time,distance or location stamp a block of activity data (e.g. by pushing atime stamp or lap split button on a device) and the stamped block foreach monitored parameter is then trawled and compared against the one ormore threshold criteria. For both embodiments corresponding data pointsof the one or more streams or blocks (that relate to one or moreparameters associated with a particular activity) are associated with aparticular activity when the system recognizes that the data pointssatisfy the one or more threshold criteria defining that activity, andtherefore associates the corresponding data points with the activity.

The raw data that defines Activity Types is preferably obtained fromspecial purpose activity and exercise measurement devices.

2. The Anatomy of an Activity Plan

Coaching advice can occur in relation to a Training/Activity Plan or canprovide more limited feedback without the user having a plan.

The following definitions provide context on how an Activity Plan works:

2.1 Activity Plan

An Activity Plan is a calendar of workouts or activity sessions over aseries of days for an extended period of time, usually for a number ofmonths. The plan is designed to generate the largest improvementsspecific to a chosen goal for the least time, effort and impact on thebody. This is achieved by manipulating workouts and Activity Types interms of volume and timing over an extended period of time allowing thebody to gradually adapt to the various physical stimuli placed on it.

2.2 Workout or Activity Session

A workout is an activity session on a particular day which contains aset of different types of activities called Activity Types. The workoutis usually for a set duration or distance.

2.3 Activity Type

Activity Types occur within a workout, which are training tasks to beperformed within the workout/session. Workouts contain Activity Types ofset durations, efforts and the number of times the activity should berepeated within a workout which are also known as repetitions. (reps)

A workout may be 60 mins in duration and contain the Activity Type;Hills and Up Tempo. The repetitions might be 4 hills and 2×2 mins at UpTempo. This means that within the 60 min workout or activity the userhas a prescription to complete 4 hills and do 4 mins of Up Tempo brokeninto 2 parts. Using the Activity Classification method which detectsActivity Types, the user can choose when it is most appropriate tocomplete an Activity Type within the session.

2.4 Activity Plan, Workout, and Activity Type Combination

An Activity Plan is made up of a series of workouts that containActivity Types, set within a calendar over a series of months thatdescribe the activity tasks required to achieve a goal whether this beto compete in a sporting event, lose weight or maintain health.

The interpretation can be compliance, technique or performance based.

Compliance measures are used to determine how closely a user followstheir Activity Plan. If the actual data closely matches the plan,compliance is high; if data does not closely match the plan, complianceis low. Compliance is made up of the number of hills completed andcumulative vertical meters ascended for Rolling Hills and Hills ActivityTypes. Duration and reps completed are the elements that make upcompliance for Up Tempo and Anaerobic Threshold Activity Types. There isno compliance measure for the Easy Activity Type. Compliance can only bemeasured against an Activity Plan or prescribed workout/activitysession.

Technique measures can include measurements of how the user conductsthemselves within the workout. Stride rates, heaviness of foot strikeand many other components can be used to provide feedback on technique.Technique measures can occur whether the user is following a plan ornot.

Performance measures are also possible where fatigue and improvement canbe ascertained. Elevated heart rates for a particular speed indicatefatigue for example and there are many other methods available withinthe prior art (e.g. HRV, R-R, VO2max, EPOC, Training Effect, Heart RateDecoupling, ATL, CTL, TSS) that can be used. Performance measures canoccur whether or not the user follows an Activity Plan.

3. System Processes

3.1 the Difference Between Activity Types and Training Zones

A workout or any activity is made up of different tasks or forms ofexercise that can be characterized by a series of multiple simultaneousmeasured parameters breaking them up into Activity Type segments.

Activity Types form a continuous series of time or distance segments ofmulti-parameter data through all the raw data for the duration of theworkout or activity session.

The cornerstone of this system is the use of Activity Types to classifydata as opposed to the prior art method of using Training Zoneclassifications.

Activity Types are made up of multiple Training Zones and otherparameters.

This means that any activity or exercise becomes a series of ‘classifiedActivity Type segments’ over the workout duration. FIG. 3 showsclassification of cycling data where heart rate, cadence and altitudeare measured over the duration of a workout and use of multipleparameter zones are used as criteria to classify activity into ActivityTypes within a Workout or Activity Session. These parameters are used todefine classifications of different Activity Type segments which appearat the bottom of the graphic. A workout is therefore made up of a seriesof Activity Type segments which together form the complete workout.

Multi Parameter classification is critical to interpretation andcoaching advice as it allows processing and interpreting data within anActivity Type segment or between Activity Type segments that containsthe same label. This means that ‘like’ data is compared to ‘like’ data.It also breaks down all the possible ways the user can train into itscomponent parts or ‘building blocks’ for analysis.

Because there are many environmental and physiological variables inactivity and exercise, assumptions cannot be made for automatedmeasurement. When a system automatically classifies activity orexercise, there is no coach or trainer to see what the user is doing sothe usual assumptions that occur in manually managed training and forexample, exercise where terrain is taken for granted; cannot occur.Terrain must be measured and brought in as part of a classificationsystem to get accurate measurement of data for interpretation.

This is why classification of Activity Types must include at least oneexercise parameter like heart rate for instance AND altitude changedepicting terrain (uphill, flat, downhill) over a period of time ordistance to accurately capture data correctly for analysis.

In an example demonstrating the problem with ‘Training Zones’, a runnermay be running briefly at too high a heart rate which could beinterpreted as training too hard but without other parameters this couldbe incorrect. If we look at speed measured in conjunction with the highheart rate values we find that the runner was actually running tooslowly. If we also look at altitude change we see that they wereactually running up a hill. The reason heart rate went up and speed wentdown is due to running up a hill. Using a single parameter Heart RateTraining Zone for measurement can lead to wholly inaccurateinterpretations of what the user is doing.

Real life training and activity is slightly more complex than amono-dimensional Training Zone. Real life training usually involves atleast two key parameters for acyclic activities like walking, running,cycling and rowing. These are the effort level (depicted by heart rate,power or speed) and turnover usually depicted by stride rate, strokerate or cadence. Different manipulations of these 2 factors can be usedin cycling for example to match ‘race pace’ with a moderate load gear ata high cadence generating high cardiovascular effort, ‘easy training’which is low muscular effort or a small gear at a moderate cadence, andforms of ‘strength’ loaded exercise in cycling like a big gear (highmuscular effort) at a low cadence.

Each of these is also carried out on a terrain that may be flat, uphillor downhill and the combinations of these depict different modalities oftraining to generate different physiological effects within the user.

Many different parameters can be combined to provide different insightsthrough the process of contextualisation. Examples of parameters includeeffort, resistance, biomedical, biomechanical, and environmental.

Alternate effort or cardiorespiratory parameters include heart rate orchange in heart rate, heart rate variability or change in heart ratevariability, respiration or change in respiration, ventilation orchanges in ventilation and oxygen uptake or change in oxygen uptake.Inferred data and derivations of these parameters are also included.

Other effort parameters include speed or change in speed, power orchange in power, pace or change in pace, energy expenditure or change inenergy expenditure, acceleration or changes in acceleration and musclecontraction via electromyography or changes in muscle contractions. Limbturnover like stride rate, stroke rate and cadence can also help infereffort. Derivations of these parameters are also included.

Resistance parameters include environmental forms of resistance likealtitude or a change in altitude, slope or change in slope, gradient orchange in gradient, incline or change in incline. Derivations of theseparameters are also included.

Other resistance parameters include body weight and carried weight orchanges in body weight or carried weight and lifted weight or changes ina lifted weight. Derivations of these parameters are also included.

Biomedical parameters include body temperature or change in bodytemperature, blood pressure or a change in blood pressure, patterns inElectrocardiograph data on changes in patterns occurring inElectrocardiograph data, oxygen saturation or changes in oxygensaturation, blood glucose or changes in blood glucose, blood cholesterolor changes in blood cholesterol and EEG or changes in EEG. Also includedare hydration levels and changes in hydration levels. Derivations ofthese parameters are also included.

Biomechanical parameters include vertical oscillation during walking orrunning, foot strike impact, time on the ground, and foot strikepatterns. Derivations of these parameters are also included.

Environmental condition parameters include ambient temperature, relativehumidity, barometric pressure, heat index, local wind speed, local winddirection, local rain, local altitude or changes in ambient temperature,relative humidity, barometric pressure, heat index, local wind speed,local wind direction, local rain, local altitude. Derivations of theseparameters are also included.

In summary, Activity Type Classification is very distinct from TrainingZones in that Training Zones are only an aspect of Activity Types. Trueanalysis, interpretation, coaching advice and modification of anActivity Plan cannot occur accurately, safely and effectively withoutActivity Types and classification of training with the use of them. Inthe four decades that Portable Biometric Data Measurement companies(like Polar, Timex, Garmin and Suunto) have been around this distinctionhas not been made.

3.2 Multi Parameter Classification of Activity: Activity Types

The classification system enables activity session data to be classifiedinto one or more activity types. The classification system has knowledgeof one or more activity types and their specific relationship with oneor more parameters to achieve this. This knowledge may be simple orcomplex based on the application and desired accuracy of the system.Generally, one or more threshold criteria such as values or zonesassociated with each parameter related to a particular activity must besatisfied for that activity to be performed. In other words, an activitycan be identified by the classification system when every thresholdcriteria is satisfied for each of a combination of parameters thatdefine that activity. In the preferred embodiment the classificationsystem uses multiple parameters to define activities.

An activity may be identified from different combinations of parameters.This diversifies the compatibility of the system with differentmonitoring devices. For example, an ‘easy walking’ activity may bedefined by a stride rate threshold (such as less than 60 steps perminute) and a terrain threshold (such as a gradient of less than 2°), ora speed threshold (less than 8 km/hr) and a terrain threshold (gradientof less than 2°), or a heart rate threshold (such as between 40 and 110beats per min) and a terrain threshold (such as a gradient of less than2°). This allows for different types of special purpose monitoringdevices to be used alongside the system. For instance a mobile phonewith GPS capability for measuring speed can be the monitoring device, ora more advanced device can be used for measuring heart rate and otherparameters such as speed, altitude, distance, time and turnover (e.g.stride rate).

3.3 Compliance to Activity Plan and Performance Measures

Comparisons of classified data segments can be made in 2 ways;compliance with the planned workout that they are completing or havecompleted and performance measures using physiological, biomechanicaland strategy performance assessments of the activity data compared tohistoric values previously obtained in other past workouts.

Compliance involves calculating the difference between the trainingcompleted and the Activity Plan and putting the value of the differenceagainst a set of thresholds and where the value conforms to a thresholdcoaching advice or a plan modification is elicited.

Performance involves applying a number of interpretative performanceassessment algorithms to the data in an Activity Type segment. Thesealgorithms involve assessing Endurance, Strength Endurance and Speed andalso includes an Overall Performance assessment based on combining andsummarising the other 3 performance values. These performance values foran

Activity Type data segment can then be compared to historic performancevalues for the same categories for the average of the most recent 6 datasegments for the same Activity Type. The difference between the currentvalues for Endurance, Strength Endurance, Speed and Overall Performanceand their historic values is calculated. These differences are thenapplied to a set of thresholds and where the value conforms to athreshold coaching advice or an Activity plan modification is elicited.

3.4 Prescription—Automated Coaching Advice for User BehaviorModification

Coaching Advice has 2 components. A detection or acknowledgement aspectand a solution aspect. The detection or acknowledgement sets the contextfor the coaching advice. Examples like “Cardiovascular Fatigue detected”and “too hard in warm up” explain what the system has detected butprovides no actual advice on how to improve the situation. The coachingadvice means that the system will then provide a solution to the problemdetected. So in the above examples the coaching commentary would be;“Cardiovascular Fatigue detected, all speed training and hill workcancelled, cut the workout short so you can recover”, and “too hard inwarm up”, can be solved by the coaching advice; “slow down to an Easyexercise effort, starting too hard can lead to injury.”

Coaching advice mainly covers technique, compliance and performanceissues.

3.5 Prescription—Automated Workout or Activity Plan Modification

Plan adjustment can occur in 2 different ways and 2 different times. The2 ways that can occur is that a single workout or activity session canbe modified or a complete Activity Plan can be modified. The 2 differenttimes that this can occur over is in real time or once the workout iscomplete.

Workout adjustments usually occur in real time and Activity Planadjustments usually occur once the workout has been completed.

Real time workout modifications involve changing the duration of theworkout, the number of instances each Activity Type occurs within theworkout, the durations or distances of the Activity Type, the restdurations between Activity Types, the number of vertical meters climbedon hills during a workout and some of the parameters used to define anActivity Type.

Post workout Activity Plan modifications adjust all or some of theplanned workouts into the future as scheduled by the Activity Plan.Workout durations and Activity Type durations are usually linked intoprogressions through the Activity Plan into the future. The adjustmentcan be for the progressions of workout volumes and/or the volumes of theActivity Types. The volumes may be distance, duration or instances of anActivity Type. This means that all the components of the Activity Planand Workout are fully flexible and can be automatically and dynamicallyupdated.

Preferred Embodiment(s)

The system and method of the invention may be implemented using thefollowing classification system. This implementation should not beconsidered as limiting the scope of the invention but rather a preferredembodiment of the underlying classification concept defined above.

4. Activity Types: Multi Parameter Classification of Activity

4.1 Minimum Activity Classification Example

The following is a list of the minimum activities to be classified bythe classification system of one embodiment of the invention. Thefollowing example uses running Activity Types:

-   -   a. Easy Activity Type: This is running within the speed        thresholds of 8-10 km/hr. In this example the threshold criteria        for effort may include heart rate instead of speed which would        be a user heart rate (HR) of 65-75% of their maximum heart rate.        Power may also be used. In addition to any combination of the        above parameters and their threshold criteria, a flat terrain        criterion may be required by the classification system. In this        case, the system may define a flat terrain for easy running as        an upward or downward slope of less than 2° (or 4% gradient        where consistent altitude    -   b. Hills—This activity occurs when an individual increases their        altitude during exercise/activity. The threshold criteria        required to classify an activity under Hills can be a continuous        rise over time that exceeds a 6 meter vertical gained from the        flat, or a continuous slope of 2° for more than 10 secs.—A        Rolling Hill would be a climb of more than 6 meters but less        than 20 meters and a Hill would be more than 20 m.    -   c. Speed The threshold criteria for such a parameter may be a        user heart rate (HR) of more than 75% of their maximum heart        rate. Effort may alternatively or in addition be measured using        speed and/or power In addition to any combination of the above        parameters and their threshold criteria, a flat terrain        criterion may be required by the classification system to        identify a speed activity. In which case, the system may define        a flat terrain for speed as an upward or downward slope of less        than 2° (or 4% gradient). One possible Activity Type includes Up        Tempo as described with Anaerobic Threshold being a slightly        higher intensity.

There are different ways to classify an activity. Any combination ofparameters such as speed, heart rate, power, turnover, distance perturnover, R-R (HRV), vertical meters ascended, slope, gradient can beused to depict a particular classification. Furthermore, there can bemany ways to define the threshold or zone for each of these using amaximum value tested or obtained from within training or activity, usingthe Anaerobic or Aerobic Threshold value, or using averages based on theactivity or exercise of the user etc.

The above monitored parameters and in particular the threshold criteriaare only exemplary and reflect possible embodiments of the invention.They are not intended to be limiting. It is preferred in fact to havevariations on the threshold criteria (and zones) for each individual asthe system may be calibrated to their specific ability and needs.

4.2 Detailed Activity Classification—Parameters that Make Up ActivityTypes

The monitored parameters aid the system in identification andclassification of activities performed during the exercise session, aseach activity is defined by one or more threshold criteria (i.e.threshold values or zones) associated with one or more parameters.

In the preferred system associated with the activities it is preferredto have a resistance parameter and more preferably an intensity/effortparameter also.

For most activities like running, cycling, walking, horse training, andactivity status monitoring categories the activities can be defined bythe system using a resistance parameter and an effort parameter measuredover time or distance. The measure of effort is preferably defined usingspeed, heart rate or power (a direct measure or one derived from speed,body weight and slope). It can also use respiration rate, force andacceleration. Resistance parameters can be defined by changes inaltitude, slope or gradient.

For rowing and kayaking, there is no terrain component so a turnoverparameter (e.g. stroke rate) or distance per limb turnover (e.g.distance per stroke) is preferably used by the system in its place.

The turnover parameter may also be used as the resistance parameter(instead of or in conjunction with terrain) to identify cyclingactivities.

For health or environmental monitoring, the classification is theincidence of a health (ECG, Blood Pressure) or environmental(Temperature, Heat Index, Wind Speed) parameter matched up to the otherparameters that describe a situation (heart rate, terrain, speed etc).

It is preferable that the system caters for more parameters as thiswould enhance the flexibility of the system not just with accuracy andthe ability to define more activities but also in terms of compatibilitywith different special purpose monitoring devices. A list of otherpossible additional parameters is shown below.

-   -   1. Duration    -   2. Distance    -   3. Location    -   4. ‘Turnover’ (stride rate, cadence, stroke rate)    -   5. Distance covered per Turnover    -   6. Positional Status (is the person upright or lying down)    -   7. ECG    -   8. Blood Pressure    -   9. Ambient temperature    -   10. Relative Humidity    -   11. Barometric Pressure    -   12. Heat Index    -   13. Local Wind Speed & Direction    -   14. Local Rain    -   15. Some derived combinations (e.g. watts/kg)    -   16. Body Weight    -   17. Personal Gear—Carried Weight (e.g. tramping pack)    -   18. Jumping—vertical (varying heights)    -   19. Jumping—horizontal (varying distances)    -   20. Drop    -   21. Climbing    -   22. Crawling    -   23. Direction (heading)    -   24. Oxygen uptake    -   25. Respiration    -   26. Ventilation    -   27. Energy Expenditure    -   28. Energy Intake    -   29. Blood Pressure    -   30. ECG    -   31. R-R (HRV)    -   32. Body Temperature    -   33. Current weather    -   34. Degree of Movement    -   35. On the ground    -   36. Direction the user is facing or moving (forwards, backwards,        sideways)

5.—Compliance to Activity Plan and Performance Measures InterpretationModel

Apart from Activity Types classification another component is requiredfor accurate interpretation and coaching prescription. This is the useof interpretative algorithms to drive modifications of future ActivityTypes within an Activity session or long Term Plan. The two mostinterpretative measures of the Activity Type segments are compliance andperformance measures.

Compliance measures detect how closely a user has followed an Activitysession plan in terms of completion of prescribed Activity Typesegments; their durations or distances, intensities, number of instancesand rest periods between Activity Types.

Physiological performance assessments can be applied to the ActivityType data segments to assess an improvement, a static state ordeterioration in physical ability. The physiological performanceassessments assess different aspects of a user's ability within theActivity Type data segment. These performance measures can includecardiovascular, neurocardio, muscular and overall performance measures.

Cardiovascular measures include derived algorithms that use heart rateand respiration which may or may not include other parameters.Neurocardio measures include measures and derived algorithms of heartrate variability which may or may not include other parameters. Muscularmeasures and derived algorithms include power, acceleration and forcealong which may or may not include other parameters. Overall performancemeasures and derived algorithms include power and speed which may or maynot include other parameters.

The state of the art has developed where many performance type measuressuch as EPOC or Training Effectiveness can be applied to heart rate datato adjust training volumes but these systems do not assess muscularability, cannot provide coaching advice around Activity Types and cannotadjust the Activity Types within an activity or training session. TheActivity Type factors that could be adjusted are Activity Type duration,number of instances of an Activity Type, rests between Activity Typeinstances and adjustments of the parameters that make up the ActivityType.

The state of the art also includes other performance measures likeTraining Stress Score, Acute Training load, Chronic Training Load, HeartRate Variability, VO2max and Exercise Economy measures to either inferperformance or provide some insight into a user's current physiologicalstatus. These measures however do not provide any interpretive solutionto what the measures mean to a user and how they should modify theiractivities going into the future whether they be a modification ofActivity Type segments in future Activity sessions or coaching adviceabout modifications in the users behaviour going into the future.

The combination of Activity Type Classification, Activity PlanCompliance and Physiological Performance assessment provides anopportunity to provide genuinely accurate automated coaching to users.

Technique measures may also be used.

Coaching Advice and Activity Plan Modification occur where a pluralityof values are able to be derived from Activity Type Classifications.These values include Compliance Values and Performance Measures forActivity Types.

Raw and Derived Data Parameters

Raw and derived data for some of the possible measures are describedbelow:

5.1 Compliance:

Duration: Duration is the number of minutes a classified Activity Typesegment occurs for or the accumulated time for Activity Type segments ofthe same label. (e.g. one segment of Up Tempo might be 2 mins long orthree segments of Up Tempo might add up to 5 mins and 20 seconds)

Number of Repetitions completed: This is a count of the number ofActivity Type segments that have begun and stopped during an activitysession. (e.g. the system may have detected the Up Tempo Activity Type 5times during the workout while the user was training so the number ofrepetitions (reps) completed was 5.)

Number of Hills completed: This is a count of the number of hillsegments detected and completed within a workout. Rolling Hills aredetected by a continuous increase of more than 6 meters and less than 20meters and Hills are detected as an increase of more than 20 meters ascovered by the Activity Classification Method. Counting the number ofHills is multi parameter because the system needs to know that the useris not only climbing a Hill but also running.

Cumulative Vertical Meters Ascended: This is a measure of the number ofmeters ascended over an entire workout for Rolling Hills and Hillsindependently. (e.g. Rolling Hills could involve 3 climbs; the firstbeing 15 meters, the 2nd being 15 meters and the 3rd being 10 meterswhich means a cumulative vertical meters ascended for Rolling Hills of40 meters.)

Many other possible areas are able to be measured within the bounds ofperformance, technique and compliance.

5.2 Performance:

Performance involves several algorithms to determine performance changeson a day to day basis.

The areas of assessment are Endurance, Strength Endurance and Speed.These are then scored and combined to provide an overall performancemeasure and to provide indications of ‘coaching advice’ and ‘planmodification’.

-   -   Endurance: Endurance measures cardiovascular fitness.    -   Strength Endurance: Strength Endurance measures muscular        endurance fitness.    -   Speed: Speed measures the ability to combine Endurance and        strength endurance.

The determination of each performance algorithm is based on combinationsof the following parameters: heart rate, weight, speed, distance, limbturnover (e.g. cadence, stride rate, stroke rate), distance per limbturnover (e.g. distance per stroke, stride length) time, power, andaltitude, slope or gradient change.

Technique measures may also be used.

5.3 Sample Plan for the Workout

Below is an example of a workout that is part of a Running ActivityPlan, where the workout duration and the number of reps/durations forall the Activity Types are used within the workout.

The Activity Types used in the example are:

-   -   Easy    -   Rolling Hills    -   Hills    -   Up Tempo    -   Anaerobic Threshold

Activity Type & Workout Duration Planned Workout Duration: 60 minsAnaerobic Threshold 0 Up Tempo 4 reps (of 4 mins) Hills 3 hills (>20vertical meters) Rolling Hills 0

The above describes a 60 min workout that has 4 periods of 4 mins of theUp tempo Activity Type in it totaling 16 mins at Up Tempo and 3 hills ofgreater than 20 meters making approximately 60 meters. There is noAnaerobic Threshold Speed training or Rolling Hills Activity Types to bedone within the workout today.

The workout therefore uses 2 Activity Types; Up Tempo and Hills. Theother 2 Activity Types are not being used; Anaerobic Threshold andRolling Hills.

It is against this set of tasks that the user's compliance activity ismeasured.

Data that shows that the user followed the Activity Plan closely showshigh compliance and data that does not match the plan closely enoughand/or has missing tasks or tasks completed that were not scheduledwithin the plan will indicate poor compliance.

The following is a table of the plan versus what was actually done inthe workout:

Activity Type & Workout Duration Planned Actual Workout Duration: 60mins 70 mins Anaerobic Threshold 0 0 (85-95% HRmax* on flat) Up Tempo(75-85% 4 reps (of 4 3 reps HRmax* on flat) mins) = 16 min (18 mins)Hills (>20 vertical meters) 3 hills 2 hills (60 meters) (80 meters)Rolling Hills (>6 vertical 0 0 meters, <20 meters) *HRmax = maximumheart rate

We will now go through the analysis for each Activity Type and TotalWorkout duration that was specified in the plan compared to what wasactually performed by the user:

6. Prescription: Automated Coaching Advice to Modify User Behaviour

6.1 Workout Duration Compliance:

The plan for the workout called for 60 mins of running. The actualexercise duration was 70 mins. The user did 10 mins more training thanthe program specified.

This means that the user did 116% of what they should have done for theplan. (70 mins divided by 60 mins equals 116% of the plan.)

Workout Duration Data Thresholds:

The 116% is applied against a set of thresholds

-   -   Less than 85%    -   85% to 95%    -   95% to 105%    -   Greater than 105%

116% fits into the ‘greater than 105%’ threshold.

-   -   Less than 85% “Exercise Duration was far below the plan, please        follow the plan carefully”    -   85% to 95% “Exercise Duration was slightly below the plan,        please follow the plan carefully”    -   95% to 105% “Exercise Duration was correct well done!”    -   Greater than 105% “Exercise Duration exceeded plan, please        follow the plan carefully”

The coaching feedback/advice would be:

“Exercise Duration exceeded plan, please follow the plan carefully”

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

The coaching advice for workout duration occurs immediately uponcompletion of the workout on a device or could be provided on a websiteor device for post workout feedback. A real time comment could occurhowever, if the workout duration is exceeded. In the example, when theusers workout duration exceeds 5% greater than the prescribed workoutduration of 60 mins which is 63 mins a real time comment can be given“Prescribed workout duration exceeded”

6.2 Compliance Coaching Advice:

A. Up Tempo Activity Type Compliance

The workout plan was for 4 repetitions of 4 mins making a total of 16mins of the Activity Type; Up Tempo.

Up Tempo is an Activity Type that occurs at about 75-85% of effort. Thisis above the Easy Activity Type of 65-75% of effort. During a workoutthe runner spends most of their time at Easy but may decide to increasetheir effort to 75-85% of maximum heart rate to do the Up Tempo ActivityType.

Up Tempo is determined by a heart rate or speed training zone which mustoccur on flat terrain as per the classification description. 75-85% ofmaximum might equate to a heart rate of 175-185 bpm or a speed of12.5-13.5 km/hr as calibrated by the Activity Classification method.

The runner therefore moves their effort up and heart rate reaches 175bpm on the flat. The classification system identifies that the user hasnow moved into the Up Tempo Activity Type zones and will begin to logrecorded data that occurs as an Up Tempo Activity Type segment. For thenext 4 mins the runner focuses on keeping their heart rate within thetraining zone of 175 to 185 bpm on the flat. After 4 mins the user slowsdown again and their heart rate drops below 175 bpm which means that theuser's effort has fallen out of the Up Tempo Activity Type and back intothe Easy Activity Type. At this point the system discontinues loggingthe Up Tempo Activity Type.

Therefore the logged duration of the Up Tempo Activity Type segment is 4mins.

In this case the user incorrectly logged Up Tempo 3 times as opposed tothe 4 repetitions that were planned within the workout. There werecorrect and incorrect rep durations of 4 mins, 11 mins and 3 mins makinga total of 18 mins.

Up Tempo Compliance Utilizes 2 Measurement Areas:

-   -   Up Tempo Duration    -   And repetitions completed

Up Tempo Duration Data Calculation:

The planned workout duration for Up Tempo was 16 mins and 18 mins wascompleted during the workout.

18 mins divided by 16 mins equals 112% meaning that 12% more Up TempoDuration training occurred than was planned.

Up Tempo Duration Data Thresholds:

(=>, <) Takes most significant comment (i.e. Compliance: < −1.5% or >1%, performance: < −2% or > 0.2%, if 2 significant comments split(hi/lo, lo/lo, hi/hi) = % biggest change. 1 <−2% Part of going fast isgetting used to the speed. Up Tempo is used to aid you in acquiringspeed endurance. Look at the duration targets in the plan morecarefully. 2 (−2% You can't get faster without speed and Up Tempo is agood to −1%) low impact wat to do this. Use the training program forguidelines on how much you should do. 3 (−1% Good work! to 1%) 4 1% Toomuch speedwork is a bad thing. Apart from increasing to 5% chance ofinjury, it causes high fatigue, upsets your energy for other workoutsand can predispose you to illness.

The correct coaching advice for 12% more for Up Tempo Duration trainingdone than scheduled is 4 (see table above):

“Too much speedwork is a bad thing, apart from increasing chance ofinjury, it causes high fatigue, upsets your energy for other workoutsand can predispose you to illness.”

Up Tempo Repetitions Completed Data Calculation:

The plan was for 4 repetitions of 4 mins at Up Tempo and the actualtraining carried out—was 3 repetitions of 4 mins, 11 mins and 3 mins.

4 repetitions were supposed to be completed and only 3 were completed.

3÷4=75% meaning −25% less Up Tempo Repetitions completed occurred thanplanned.

Up Tempo Repetitions Completed Data Thresholds:

1 <−2% You need to progressively increase the number of reps of atraining type that you do to get improvement. The training program willguide you on this. 2 (−2% To get faster, there has to be some increasein the number to −1%) of reps run for this training type within aworkout. 3 (−1% Nice work, keep moving the number reps of Up Tempo to1%) run up gradually over time. 4 1% to If you didn't plan to do extraUp Tempo, you might be 5% pushing it a little hard as you seem to bejumping into Up Tempo too often.

The correct coaching advice for −25% Up Tempo Reps Completed is 1 (seetable above):

“You need to progressively increase the number of reps of an ActivityType that you do to get an improvement. The training program will guideyou on this.”

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

Coaching feedback can occur in real time if the user exceeds the totalduration of up tempo scheduled in the plan. The following advice wouldbe given: “Too much Up Tempo speedwork, this can overtrain you or causeinjury. Discontinue Up Tempo training.” This would occur immediatelyafter the planned Up Tempo duration is exceeded by more than 5% of theplanned duration for the Up Tempo Activity Type. For 4 repetitions of 4mins making 16 mins of the planned Up tempo, a 5% increase is 16.8 minsor 16 mins 48 secs. If the duration for a particular rep is exceeded bymore than 10% which for a 4 mins repetition is 4.4 mins or 4 mins 24secs, the commentary is “Planned Rep duration exceeded, slow down” andif the planned duration matches within + or −10% (e.g 4 mins+/−24 secs)the real time comment is “Excellent, your rep duration was correct”. Ifthe rep duration is less than −10% (e.g. 3 mins 36 secs) the comment is:“Rep Duration too short”

After the completion of each repetition, a data summary is providedwhich includes the duration of the repetition. For example at the end ofthe repetition of Up tempo the commentary is: “1^(st), 2^(nd), etc UpTempo Rep Completed Xmins”

B. Hills Activity Type Compliance:

The workout plan was for 3 Hills which means a minimum of 60 verticalmeters ascended is planned.

Hills are measured if the continuous ascent for a user travelling fasterthan 7 km/hr exceeds 20 meters of continuous climbing. 3 Hills means aminimum of 60 vertical meters ascended.

The user runs to the hill and after 6 meters of vertical ascent a hillis detected, when the user exceeds 20 meters the Activity Type isclassed as Hills Activity Type and is logged as such until the userreaches the top at say 27 meters. When the user reaches the top and theterrain plateaus, the system detects that the user has stopped climbing.

At this point the system discontinues logging the Hills Activity Type.

Therefore, the logged vertical meters ascended is in this case 27 metersfor a Hills Activity Type segment.

The user incorrectly logged 2 hills totaling 80 vertical meters ofclimbing, 1 of 27 meters and the other of 53 meters.

Hills Compliance Utilizes 2 Measurement Areas:

-   -   Number of Hills Completed    -   And Cumulative Vertical Meters Ascended    -   Number of Hills Completed Data Calculation:

The planned number of hills was 3 and only 2 hills were completed.

2÷3=66% or −34% less hills than planned.

Number of Hills Completed Data Thresholds:

(=>, <) Takes most significant comment (i.e. Compliance: < −1.5% or >1%, performance: < −2% or > 0.2%, if 2 significant comments split(hi/lo, lo/lo, hi/hi) = % biggest change. 1 <−2% Without a steadyincrease in your hill work, you don't get the stimulus that drives yourstrength endurance up. Increase the number of hills you do graduallyeach session. 2 (−2% To get stronger, you need more load and in thiscase that to −1%) means slightly more hills each time you do a hillssession. 3 (−1% Great work! to 1%) 4 >1% Overdoing your training is notbeneficial, it is more likely to lead to injury, illness or fatigue.Follow the training plan more closely please.

The correct coaching advice for −34% less Hills completed than scheduledis 1 (see table above):

“Without a steady increase in your hill work you don't get the stimulusthat drives your strength endurance up. Increase the number of hills youare doing gradually each session.”

Cumulative Vertical Meters Ascended Data Calculation:

The plan was for approximately 60 vertical meters of climbing to be doneand 80 vertical meters was climbed.

80÷60=133% meaning 33% more meters climbed than planned.

Cumulative Vertical Meters Ascended Data Thresholds:

1 <−2% To get an improvement in your strength endurance you need moreload and in this case it measns slightly more climbed vertical meterseach time you do a hills session. 2 (−2% Getting stronger strengthendurance wise is not made to −1%) without some increase in the volumeof meters climbed in training. 3 (−1% Nice work, keep building on thenumber of vertical meters to 1%) ascended you do gradually over time.4 >1% Doing more climbing than is in the training plan is counterproductive, you are far more likely to disrupt the balance of theprogram, get fatigued or worse injured. Follow the plan.

The correct coaching advice for 33% more vertical meters climbed thanwas planned for Hills is 4 (see table above):

“Doing more climbing than is in the Activity Plan is counterproductive,you are far more likely to disrupt the balance of the program, getfatigued or worse, get injured. Follow the plan.”

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

Coaching feedback can occur in ‘real time’ if the user exceeds thevertical meters of the Hills scheduled in the plan by 20% or more(60×120%=72 meters). If the user did 72 meters or more then thefollowing advice would be given: “Too much Hill work, this can overtrainyou or cause injury. Discontinue Hill Training” This would occurimmediately after 72 meters was exceeded.

At the completion of each Hill a data summary is provided which includesthe vertical meters climbed and the number of Hills climbed to thatpoint. For example at the completion of the 1^(st) Hill of 27 meters thecommentary is: “1^(st) Hill completed, 27 meters, Cumulative VerticalMeters: 27 meters.”

C. Easy Activity Type Compliance

All training that is not Up Tempo, Anaerobic Threshold, Rolling Hills orHills is classed as

Easy Activity Type. As the user goes through a workout they willcomplete other Activity Type. In this case the user did 3 repetitions of4, 11 and 3 mins of Up Tempo and 2 Hills totaling 80 meters. In betweeneach of these Activity Types the user was still running and the defaultActivity Type is Easy. Therefore multiple segments of the Easy ActivityType were produced in this workout. If we include a warm up and a warmdown and count Easy segments between other Activity Types the number ofEasy Activity Type segments is 6.

The compliance for the Easy Activity Type is not measured, as Easy isthe default that occurs in between the other Activity Types.

Compliance Count Ups:

An assessment of what Activity Types needs to be completed during theworkout is made every 20 mins. This means that the system works out whatscheduled training has been completed and what has not been completedallowing the user some explanation of what is left to train. Because theclassification system outlined previously can automatically detect anActivity Type, it allows the user to do Activity Types when it is mostsuitable so it is useful to be informed of what Activity Types are leftto train as the user moves through the workout. For example, after 20mins of training the user may have completed 1 repetition of Up Tempoand have completed 1 Hill. The system analyses this against the plan of4 Up Tempo repetitions and 3 Hills and the comment is “Training tocomplete; 3 Up tempo and 2 Hills, Time: 20 mins.”

6.3 Performance Coaching Advice:

Performance measures provide feedback to the user on improvement andfatigue and these physiological performance assessments drive coachingprescription. (see FIGS. 6 & 7) If performance values are increasing theuser is improving. If performance values are dropping despite carefulcompliance to the plan, the user is either fatigued or ill.

Performance values can be broken into 3 components and calculated by thePerformance Engine: (see FIG. 8)

-   -   Endurance Performance—performance of the cardiovascular system        (puff)    -   Strength Endurance Performance—performance of the muscular        system (‘strength’)    -   Speed Performance—performance of power (‘strength moved fast’)

Each performance value is measured individually for each Activity Typebut they are also combined to provide an overall performance measure.

Performance is measured for each Activity Type independently. Thereforeperformance is measured for:

-   -   Easy    -   Rolling Hills    -   Hills    -   Up Tempo    -   Anaerobic Threshold

The method involves applying raw or derived data to a series ofthresholds that are linked to coaching advice. A score is alsogenerated.

Performance values are measured specific to their Activity Type. Thismeans that only Up Tempo Activity Type segments can be compared withother historic Up Tempo Activity Type segments.

Other Activity Types like Hill Activity Type performance would also becompared against their own historic segments.

Performance Values are separated this way to allow for some level ofindependent measurement of each of the key Activity Types that make upan individual's physiology for the sports and activities analysed. Thismeans that based on the 3 measured performance areas, strengths andweaknesses can be identified allowing the Activity Plan to be morepersonalized to the individual which would not be possible with a singleall-encompassing measure.

Performance measures are very important in that they drive the changesin the plan in relation to the user's physiological adaptations. Thiscan happen in 2 ways; it can change a workout or on a broader level itcan change the makeup of an Activity Plan.

In terms of a workout or several workouts following along through aweek, if strength endurance has deteriorated this will be an indicationof muscular fatigue and the strength endurance Activity Types of RollingHills and Hills will be reduced or eliminated depending on the severity.

Speed Activity Types of Up Tempo and Anaerobic Threshold will also bereduced.

A drop in Endurance levels indicates cardiovascular fatigue which willrequire a reduction of the total workout volumes and in more severecases, a reduction in all Activity Type volumes as well.

Speed deterioration may mean reducing speed Activity Type volumes.Higher values in all 3 performance parameters means improvement eitherthrough recovery or physiological improvement. Several performanceparameters may change simultaneously leading to multiple adjustments ofthe above.

From a long term plan adjustment point of view, a low Strength Endurancemeasure might mean more Hills and Rolling Hills Activity Types arerequired in the plan.

Low Speed values and high Strength Endurance values might mean morespeed training like the Up Tempo and Anaerobic Threshold Activity Typesand less Strength Endurance Activity Types are required in the plan.

Low Endurance values might mean forgoing Strength Endurance and SpeedActivity Types in favour of just doing easy training using the EasyActivity Type.

Performance measures are always compared with the individuals own pasthistoric data.

A. Up Tempo Performance

As a user carries out Up Tempo training, streams of data during thattime are identified, logged and labelled as Up Tempo. At the same time anumber of physiological processes are occurring and performance measurescan be taken.

Up Tempo performance is measured using algorithms for:

-   -   Endurance    -   Strength endurance    -   Speed

Up Tempo

Endurance, Strength Endurance and Speed are all used to analyse UpTempo.

Endurance Performance Analysis for Up Tempo

The Endurance performance value is determined based on the data streamswithin an Activity Type segment of a workout or across the accumulationof all segments for a particular Activity Type within a workout orsession.

The Endurance performance value is determined and then compared to thehistoric average value for the same calculation for Up Tempo in the last3 workouts where Up Tempo occurred. (In the last 2 weeks)

This shows a 0.8% increase.

Endurance performance improved by 0.8%.

Up Tempo Endurance Thresholds:

Post Workout Combined Segments for Up Tempo Activity Type:

(=>, <) Takes most significant comment (i.e. Compli- ance: < −1.5% or >1%, performance: < −2% or > 0.2%, if 2 significant comments split(hi/lo, lo/lo, hi/hi) =% biggest change. 1 <−2% Miss your next workout,and easy, no speed for the following session. You can't have lostfitness, low heart rates for the next 2 workouts to help your ‘puff’recover. 2 (−2% to −1%) Slight cardiovascular fatigue, rest up wellbefore your next workout so that you are fresh enough to do it. 3 (−1%to 1%) No comment. 4 >1% Endurance improved. You are managing theendurance aspects of your training well by allowing enough recoverybetween high heart rate workouts.

The post workout coaching advice for 0.8% is therefore 3 (see tableabove): no comment.

Real Time Individual Segment for Up Tempo Activity Type:

Takes most significant comment (i.e. Compliance: <−1.5% or >1%,performance: <−2% or >0.2%, if 2 significant (=>, <) comments split(hi/lo, lo/lo, hi/hi) = % biggest change. 1 <−2% Cancel all remaining UpTempo Training, you are too cardiovascularly fatigued. 2 (−2% Somecardiovascular fatigue detected. Take it easy, to −1%) don't push the UpTempo too hard. 3 (−1% No comment. to 1%) 4   >1% You have improved,nice work!

By way of example let us assume that the real time coaching advice was−1.4% for the 2nd and 3rd Up Tempo Repetitions within the workout whichis therefore 2 (see table above) so the coaching advice would be: “Somecardiovascular fatigue detected, take it easy, don't push the Up Tempotoo hard”

Scoring Interpreted Data:

(−3% to (−2% to (−1.3% to (−0.5% to 0.2% to 1.3% to 2.3% to 3.4% to <−3%−2%) −1.3%) −0.5%) 0.2%) 1.3% 2.3% 3.4% 5% >5% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (=>,<)

At the end of the workout, the post workout value is for 0.8% is a scoreof 6 (see table above).

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

The coaching advice can be given immediately after the Up Tempo segmentduring the workout in real time; “Some cardiovascular fatigue detected,take it easy, don't push the Up Tempo too hard” At the end of theworkout a comment is provided specific to the Up tempo Activity Type;“Slight cardiovascular fatigue, rest up well before your next workout sothat you are fresh enough to do it.”

Strength Endurance Performance Analysis for Up Tempo:

From the many streams of data logged for the 18 min of Up Tempo, aStrength Endurance value was determined.

This was compared to the historic data for the user and a 1.2% decrease(−1.2%) in strength endurance performance is measured.

Up Tempo Strength Endurance Thresholds:

Post Workout Combined Segments for Up Tempo Activity Type:

1 <−2% You have high muscular fatigue, try to rest your legs up beforethe next workout & take it easy with the Rolling Hills & Hills training.2 (−2% You have mild muscular fatigue, take it easy with the to −1%)muscular aspects of the next workout. 3 (−1% No comment. to 1%) 4   >1%Excellent, keep it up! Your legs are getting stronger!

The post workout coaching advice for −1.2% is therefore 2 (see tableabove) which is: “You have mild muscular fatigue, take it easy with themuscular aspects of the next workout” Real Time Individual Segment forUp Tempo Activity Type:

1 <−2% Cancel all remaining Up Tempo reps, you are too muscularlyfatigued. 2 (−2% Some muscular fatigue detected. Take it to −1%) easy,don't push the Up Tempo too hard. 3 (−1% No comment. to 1%) 4   >1% Youare stronger, nice work!

By way of example let us assume that the real time coaching advice was−1.2% for the 3rd Up Tempo Repetition within the workout. This istherefore 3 (see table above), so the coaching advice would be: “Somemuscular fatigue detected, Take it easy, don't push the Up Tempo toohard.”

Scoring Interpreted Data:

(−3% to (−2% to (−1.4% to (−0.5% to 0.2% to 1.4% to 2.3% to 3.4% to <−3%−2%) −1.4%) −0.5%) 0.2%) 1.4% 2.3% 3.4% 5% >5% 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 10(=>, <)

At the end of the workout the value was −1.2% which scores 4 (see tableabove).

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

The coaching advice can be given immediately after the Up Tempo segmentduring the workout in real time which in this case would be: “Somemuscular fatigue detected, Take it easy, don't push the Up Tempo toohard” Commentary can also be provided post workout.

Speed Performance Analysis for Up Tempo

The Speed performance value was determined and compared to historic dataand a 2% increase in Speed performance ability was obtained

Up Tempo Speed Thresholds:

Post Workout Combined Segments for Up Tempo Activity Type:

1 <−2% Work on controlling the intensity of your training better so youdon't get too tired! Don't go too hard. You have to be fresh enough soyou can get the most out of your next workout. 2 (−2% You might need tothink about whether you are training to −1%) too fast or hard in easy,try backing the effort off a little. 3 (−1% No comment. to 1%) 4   >1%You showed a speed increase in your Up tempo training today.

The post workout coaching advice for 2% is therefore a score of 4 (seetable above) which is: “You showed a speed increase during Up Tempotraining today.”

Real Time Individual Segment for Up Tempo Activity Type:

1 <−2% Cancel all remining Up tempo training, you are too slow andfatigued. 2 (−2% Some fatigue detected. Take it easy, to −1%) don't pushthe Up Tempo too hard. 3 (−1% No comment. to 1%) 4   >1% You are faster,nice work!

The real time coaching advice was 0.8% for the 1st Up Tempo Repetitionwithin the workout which scores 4 (see table above) so the coachingadvice would be: “You are faster, nice work!”

Scoring Interpreted Data:

(−3% to (−2% to (−1.3% to (−0.5% to 0.2% to 1.3% to 2.3% to 3.4% to <−3%−2%) −1.3%) −0.5%) 0.2%) 1.3% 2.3% 3.4% 5% 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 (=>, <)

The post workout value is 2% which gives a score of 8. (see table above)

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

The coaching advice can be given immediately after the Up Tempo segmentduring the workout in real time; “You are faster, nice work!” or postworkout to provide specific advice on the Up Tempo segment which wouldbe; “You are managing your training extremely well & your speed isincreasing. Congratulations.”

The method for Anaerobic Threshold analysis is exactly the same as UpTempo analysis.

B. Hills Performance

Endurance Performance Analysis for Hills

Hills only use strength endurance and endurance for analysis. Speed isnot relevant to Hill training.

Endurance Performance values were determined both within Hills segmentsand over the combined segments. Endurance performance for Hills showed a1.4% decrease. (−1.4%) Hills Endurance Thresholds:

Post Workout Combined Segments for Hills Activity Type:

Takes most significant comment (i.e. Compliance: <−1.5% or >1%,performance: <−2% or >0.2%, if 2 significant (=>, <) comments split(hi/lo, lo/lo, hi/hi) = % biggest change. 1 <−2% You have highcardiovascular fatigue, you need to rest and do your easy training verygently in the next workout. Avoid speedwork. 2 (−2% Slightcardiovascular fatigue, go easy in the next workout. to −1%) 3 (−1% Nocomment. to 1%) 4   >1% You are managing the endurance aspects of yourtraining well by rallowing enough ecovery between high heart rateworkouts.

The post workout coaching advice for 1.4% scores 2 (see the tableabove): which is “Slight cardiovascular fatigue, go easy in the nextworkout”

Real Time Individual Segment for Hills Activity Type: Real timeperformance is not provided because it is difficult to provide segmentby segment performance measures as hill gradients change markedly.

Scoring Interpreted Data:

(−3% to (−2% to (−1.4% to (−0.5% to 0.2% to 1.4% to 2.3% to 3.4% to <−3%−2%) −1.4%) −0.5%) 0.2%) 1.4% 2.3% 3.4% 5% >5% 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 10(=>, <)

The post workout score for −1.4% is 3. (see the table above)

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

Post workout commentary is provided for the Hills Activity Type.

Strength Endurance Performance Analysis for Hills: From the many streamsof data logged for the 3 hills completed, Strength Endurance values weredetermined.

A 2.3% decrease (−2.3%) in strength endurance performance was measured.

Hills Strength Endurance Thresholds:

Post Workout Combined Segments for Hills Activity Type:

1 <−2% You have high muscular fatigue, try to rest your legs up beforethe next workout & don't push the muscular aspects of the next workouttoo much. 2 (−2% You have mild muscular fatigue, take it easy with theto −1%) muscular aspects of the next workout. 3 (−1% No comment. to 1%)4   >1% Excellent, keep it up! Your legs are getting stronger!

The post workout coaching advice for −2.3% is therefore 3 which is: “Youhave high muscular fatigue, try to rest your legs up before the nextworkout & don't push the muscular aspects of the next workout too much.”

Real Time Individual Segment for Hills Activity Type:

Real time performance is not provided because it is difficult to providesegment by segment performance measures as hill gradients changemarkedly.

Scoring Interpreted Data:

(−3% to (−2% to (−1.4% to (−0.5% to 0.2% to 1.4% to 2.3% to 3.4% to <−3%−2%) −1.4%) −0.5%) 0.2%) 1.4% 2.3% 3.4% 5% >5% 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 10(=>, <)

The post workout score for −2.3% is 2. (see table above)

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

Post workout commentary is provided for the Hills Activity Type.

The method for Rolling Hills analysis is exactly the same as Hillsanalysis.

C. Easy Performance

Endurance Performance Analysis for Easy

Easy only uses strength endurance and endurance for analysis. Speed isnot relevant to Easy training.

Easy Endurance Performance was determined within Easy segments and overthe combined segments.

Endurance performance for Easy increased by 0.8%.

Easy Endurance Thresholds:

Post Workout Combined Segments for Easy Activity Type:

1 <−2% You have high cardiovascular fatigue, get as much recovery as youcan between workouts and you will need to train very gently in the nextworkout. Avoid speedwork. 2 (−2% You have mild cardiovascular fatigue.Take it easy to −1%) in the next session to recover your cardiovascularsystem and then get back into it. 3 (−1% No comment. to 1%) 4   >1% Youare managing the endurance aspects of your training well by allowingenough recovery between high heart rate workouts.

The post workout coaching advice for 0.8% is therefore 3 (see tableabove) which is No comment.

Real Time Individual Segment for Easy Activity Type: Real timeperformance is not provided because it is difficult to provide segmentby segment performance measures because Easy segments include recoveryfrom other forms of training that affect the performance numbers.

Scoring Interpreted Data:

(−3% to (−2% to (−1.4% to (−0.5% to 0.2% to 1.4% to 2.3% to 3.4% to <−3%−2%) −1.4%) -0.5%) 0.2%) 1.4% 2.3% 3.4% 5% >5% 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 10(=>, >)

The post workout score for 0.8% is 6. (see table above)

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

Post workout commentary is provided for the Easy Activity Type. In thiscase there was no comment.

Strength Endurance Performance Analysis for Easy:

Strength Endurance for Easy was determined showing a 1.4% decrease(−1.4%) in Strength Endurance performance.

Easy Strength Endurance Thresholds:

Post Workout Combined Segments for Easy Activity Type:

1 <−2% You have significant muscle fatigue. You need to rest your legsas much as you can. Avoid hill training and speedwork for 2 days. 2 (−2%You have mild muscular fatigue. Don't do anything that to −1%) fatiguesyour leg muscles! Take it easy when doing hill work and speed trainingin the next few workouts. 3 (−1% No comment. to 1%) 4   >1% Excellent,keep it up! Your legs are getting stronger.

The post workout coaching advice for −1.4% is therefore 2 (see tableabove) which is: “You have mild muscular fatigue. Don't do anything thatfatigues your leg muscles! Take it easy when doing hill work and speedtraining in the next few workouts.”

Real Time Individual Segment for Easy Activity Type:

Real time performance is not provided because it is difficult to providesegment by segment performance measures.

Scoring Interpreted Data:

(−3% to (−2% to (−1.4% to (−0.5% to 0.2% to 1.4% to 2.3% to 3.4% to <−3%−2%) −1.4%) −0.5%) 0.2%) 1.4% 2.3% 3.4% 5% >5% 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 10(=>, <)

We will only score the combined Easy analysis. The post workout score isscore for −1.4% is 4. (see table above)

Timing of ‘Coaching Advice’—Real Time or Post Workout:

Post workout commentary is provided for the Easy Activity Type.

6.4 Total Performance Score:

The sum of the Performance scores will then be averaged:

Strength Performance Endurance Endurance Speed Overall Score Up Tempo 64   8 Hills 3 2   Easy 6 4   Average: 5 3.3 8 5.4 (5 + 3.3 + 8)/ 3 = 5.4

Historic Past Scores: (average of last 4 workouts containing theActivity Type)

Strength Performance Endurance Endurance Speed Overall Score Up Tempo6   5.5 7 Hills 4   4   Easy 6   6   Average: 5.3 5.2 7 5.8 (5.3 + 5.2 +7)/ 3 = 5.8

Assessing Performance:

-   -   If the current score is at least 0.2 above but not more than 1        above the historic score: “Nice Improvement”    -   If the current score is more than 1 above the historic score:        “Outstanding improvement”    -   If the current score is more than 0.2 below but not more than 1        below the historic score: “Fatigue or drop in Performance”    -   If the current score is more than 1 below the historic score:        “Very fatigued or big drop in Performance.”    -   If the score is equal to or between −0.2 and 0.2 in comparison        to the historic score; “Performance is the same.”

4.5 Assessing Total Performance Score

Performance Comparisons for the example workout:

Current Historic Comment Overall 5.4 5.8 “Fatigue or drop inPerformance” Performance Speed 8 7 “Nice Improvement” Strength 3.3 5.2“Very fatigued or big drop in Endurance Performance.” Endurance 5 5.3“Fatigue or drop in Performance”

In terms of diagnosis of activity, the lowest score in the aboveperformance analysis indicates that Strength Endurance is the weak pointcurrently being the lowest score of the 3 main areas of assessment;Endurance, Strength Endurance and Speed.

6.5 User Workout Experience

Collection of Data:

The data collected is preferably collected on special purpose devicesadapted to record heart rate, speed, steps per minute, and altitude.Devices that do not record altitude are used if they have GPS becausethe location can be set onto a Digital Elevation Model if accuratelatitude and longitude are known.

Classification of Data:

Using the classification previously explained, all Activity Types areautomatically detected within the workout allowing the user to choosewhen it is most effective to do a particular Activity Type. Some systemshave ‘Rigid schedule’ workouts where the user has to follow, ‘4 mins ofActivity Type 1, 4 mins of Activity Type 2, 8 mins of Activity Type 3and 6 mins of Activity Type 1. The problem with this is that an Up TempoActivity Type must be completed on the flat and in the ‘rigid schedule’setting this may be scheduled just as the user is about to run up a hillmeaning the Up Tempo training will be impossible to do. For such asituation, recorded and analysed data will be inaccurate and meaninglessand the user experience will be frustrating.

Actual Classified Activity Types Versus the Plan:

Summation of Scores and Coaching Advice:

TABLE 1 Activity Types & Workout Duration Planned Actual WorkoutDuration: 60 mins 70 mins Anaerobic Threshold 0 0 (85-95% HRmax* onflat) Up Tempo 4 reps (of 4 reps (18 mins) (75-85% HRmax* on flat) 4mins) = 16 min Hills (>20 vertical meters) 3 hills (60 meters) 2 hills(80 meters) Rolling Hills (>6 vertical 0 0 meters, <20 meters) *HRmax =maximum heart rate

6.6 Coaching Advice Based on Classification and Interpretation

Here is the user experience in the scheduled 60 min training exampleprovided, where Activity Types for Up Tempo (4 reps of 4 mins) and Hills(3 hills) were scheduled.

Real Time (within the Workout as it is be Carried Out)

The user receives the plan for today's workout before starting: “Today'sworkout includes: Duration: 60 mins, 4 Up Tempo and 3 Hills. Ready toTrain.”

The user warmed up at Easy Activity Type for 4 mins with no comment.

The user then did an Up Tempo Activity Type repetition. The Up Tempo repwhich was supposed to be a duration of 4 mins correctly took 4 mins so areal time comment was given which was: “Excellent, your rep duration wascorrect”. At the end of the Up Tempo rep the real time commentary was“1^(st) Up Tempo Completed; 4 mins.” And “You are faster, nice work!”

The user then trained at Easy Activity Type again with no comment.

Next the user climbed a Hill to do one of the prescribed Hills for theworkout which elicited no coaching advice. At the completion of the Hillthe real time commentary was; “1^(st) Hill completed, 27 meters.”

More Easy Activity Type with no comment was completed after the Hill.

At 20 mins a real time Compliance count up occurred explaining “Trainingto complete; 3 Up Tempo and 2 Hills, Time; 20 mins.”

More Easy training with no comment.

A 2^(nd) Up Tempo repetition was then completed which this time exceededthe correct duration of 4 mins by doing 11 mins and as soon as 4 minswas exceeded the real time comment was:

“Planned Rep duration exceeded, slow down” At the end of the Up Temporep the real time commentary was and “2^(nd) Up Tempo Completed; 11mins.” “Some fatigue detected, take it easy, don't push the Up Tempo toohard” More Easy training with no comment.

A 3rd Up Tempo repetition was done lasting 3 mins. As the user passedthe prescribed total duration of Up Tempo training and the maximum totalduration exceeded threshold of 16 mins 48 secs the real time commentarywas: “Total Up tempo duration exceeded.” At the end of the Up Tempo repthe real time commentary was “3^(rd) Up Tempo Completed; 3 mins.” “RepDuration too short” And coaching advice was given; “Some fatiguedetected, take it easy, don't push the Up Tempo too hard” More Easytraining with no comment.

At 40 mins a real time Compliance count up occurred which explained“Training to complete; 2 Hills, Time; 40 mins.” A scheduled 4^(th) UpTempo wasn't mentioned because the total Up Tempo duration has beenexceeded.

Another hill was completed and part way though the climb when acumulative vertical meters ascended total reached 72 meters for theHills Activity Type the comment was; “Too much Hill work, this canovertrain you or cause injury. Discontinue Hill Training” At thecompletion of the hill the commentary was: “2^(nd) Hill completed, 53meters.”

At 60 mins a real time Compliance count up occurred explaining “AllTraining Complete, Well Done!” A scheduled 3^(rd) Hill wasn't mentionedbecause the total Hills cumulative vertical meters ascended wasexceeded.

At 63 mins the real time commentary was: “Prescribed workout durationexceeded”

At 70 mins the user finished the workout and was then given a report ontheir workout either in an auditory, text or graphical way. “WorkoutComplete. Duration: 70 mins, 4 Up Tempo, 2 Hills, 80 vertical meters,average speed: 5 min 40 s/km, average heart rate: 153, distance: 12.3km. Performance Analysis: Fatigue or drop in Performance.”

6.7 Post Workout Report was:

Workout “Exercise Duration exceeded plan, please follow the planDuration: carefully” Up Tempo Compliance: “Too much speedwork is a badthing, apart from increasing chance of injury, it causes high fatigue,upsets your energy for other workouts and can predispose you toillness.” “You need to progressively increase the number of reps of aActivity Type that you do to get an improvement. The training programwill guide you on this.” Performance “You have mild muscular fatigue,take it easy with the muscular aspects of the next workout” “You showeda speed increase during Up Tempo training today.” Hills Compliance:“Without a steady increase in your hill work you don't get the stimulusthat drives your strength endurance up. Increase the number of hills youare doing gradually each session.” “Doing more climbing than is in theActivity Plan is counterproductive, you are far more likely to disruptthe balance of the program, get fatigued or worse, get injured. Followthe plan.” Performance: “Slight cardiovascular fatigue, go easy in thenext workout” “You have significant muscle fatigue. You need to restyour legs as much as you can. Avoid hill training and speedwork for 2days.” Easy Performance “You have significant muscle fatigue. You needto rest your legs as much as you can. Avoid hill training and speedworkfor 2 days.” Workout Performance Analysis: Endurance “Fatigue or drop inPerformance” Strength “Very fatigued or big drop in Performance.”Endurance Speed “Nice Improvement” Overall “Fatigue or drop inPerformance” Performance

Interpretation System Flexibility; Multi Sport and Multi Sensor

While the above commentary example applies to a sports performancesituation the system can be equally used for recreational exercise,weight loss and many other forms of activity. The interpretation alsohas the flexibility to be sensor agnostic. Interpretation is ‘richer’ or‘poorer’ depending on the data received meaning more sensors providingmore data (speed, heart rate, altitude, stride rate) means moreinterpretation is possible and fewer sensors (speed and DEM only) meansless interpretation is possible.

7. Prescription: Automated Workout or Activity Plan Modification

An Activity Plan can be adjusted in 2 ways:

-   -   The workout can be adjusted    -   Or the entire plan can be adjusted.

A workout can be adjusted in 2 ways:

-   -   In real time while the user is engaged in the workout    -   Post workout where the next workout is set up

a. Automated Updating the Workout or Activity Plan During Workout inReal Time

Dynamic updating of an Activity or Activity Plan can occur in real timewhere the user may be part way through a workout. In this case theworkout alone is adapted modifying the user's workout to be more in linewith their current physical state.

For example, the user may be showing signs of fatigue after 30 min ofexercise during a workout that has been set for 60 min. The advice givento the user in real time during the workout would be; “High Levels offatigue detected, cut your workout short, go home and rest!”

Another example might be that the user has significant muscular fatigueduring a 60 min run that has 80 meters of vertical ascent or 4×20 meterhills that need to be completed. Muscular fatigue in this case meanstired legs and so while the user might be comfortable and getimprovements out of doing 60 mins of easy running, it is probably unwiseto do the hill training today because of the leg fatigue. In this casethe advice would be: “Significant leg fatigue detected, continue theworkout but delete all hill training today!”

b. Updating and Altering the Plan:

The updating of the plan involves 3 forms of alteration to the plan:

-   -   the altering the occurrence of Activity Types,    -   altering the volume or number of the Activity Types    -   or altering the overall volume (duration or distance) of the        workout.

Altering the Activity Types means reducing, increasing or eliminatingsome Activity Types, in some cases in favour of others.

Altering the Activity Type volumes means increasing or decreasing theduration, distance or number of segments/repetitions of a particularActivity Type.

Altering the overall volume means increasing or decreasing the durationor distance (in some cases the repetitions) of a workout or series ofworkouts.

All of this means that different Activity Types are emphasized ordiminished. This effects what the user's body is adapting to, changingthe ‘mix’ of physiological effects on the users trained abilities. Thisis rather like changing the ‘recipe’ for a cake in that if theingredients, quantities of ingredients or how long the cake is bakedfor, are changed, they can create remarkably different outcomes. In thiscase it is related to the user's physiological improvements and new‘trained’ physical attributes.

7.1 Real Time Workout Modification

In order to show a real time workout adjustment we need to show the planfor a workout, the training that has been completed (current) and theremaining training (remaining) to be completed in the workout. (see FIG.3 below)

For the purposes we will use the following workout plan:

TABLE 2 Activity Type/ Total Workout Volume Planned Current* Remaining**Total Duration 40 mins 13 min 27 min (40−13) Anaerobic Threshold 2 (×3mins) 1 (×3 mins) 1 (×3 mins) Up Tempo 5 (×4 mins) 1 (×4 mins) 4 (×4min) Hills 4 hill 1 hill 3 hills Rolling Hills 5 rolling hills 1 rollinghill 4 rolling hills Easy (no plan, Easy occurs, when other ActivityTypes are not used) *Current means the training that has been completedup to a point in time, part way through the workout and workout plan.**Remaining means the elements of the plan that have not been completed.

a. Real Time Total Training Volume Adjustment

Real Time Total Training Volume adjustments occur during the workout.Assessments are made after the first 33% of the workout and after 66% ofthe workout.

Therefore for a 40 min workout (see FIG. 3), assessments are made at 33%of 40 mins which is the 13 min mark and at 66% of 40 mins which is the26 min mark.

If the user were exercising in a 40 min workout, an assessment of theusers Easy Activity Type's Endurance performance data is made at the 33%and 66% marks of the total workout duration. So for example, at the 13min mark an assessment is made of the users Easy Activity Type Enduranceup to that point in the workout.

Easy Activity Type Endurance is assessed in real time as the user worksthrough the session where the Endurance value is compared to thehistoric Endurance measure for Easy Activity Type.

The value at the 33% mark during today's workout is 3% less than thehistoric value. This is then applied to the following table:

1 >3% Add 20 mins (on selected workouts) 2 2% to 3% Add 10 mins (onselected workouts) 3 1% to 2% Add 5 mins (on selected workouts) 4 1% to−1% No change, continue workout. 5 (−1% to −2%) Shorten workout durationby 10% 6 (−2% to −3%) Shorten workout duration by 20% 7 (−3% to −4%)Shorten workout duration by 50% 8 >−4% Cancel Workout

The correct modification to apply to the workout plan is 6 (in the tableabove) which is to shorten the workout by 20%. 20% of 40 mins is 8 minsso the new workout duration is calculated at 32 mins.

A short comment is supplied for 6 (in the table above) at the 33% markthrough the workout informing the user during their workout that theworkout has been shortened:

“Cardiovascular fatigue detected so the workout has been shortened to 32mins.”

1 >3% You are fitter today, so I am extending the workout by 20 minsmaking the total workout X 2 2% to 3% There is an increase in fitnesstoday so the workout will be increased by 10 mins making the totalduration X. 3 1% to 2% Slight fitness increase so 5 mins extra has beenadded to today's workout. 4 1% to −1% No comment 5 (−1% to −2%) Slightcardiovascular fatigue detected so the workout has been shortened to X.6 (−2% to −3%) Cardiovascular fatigue has been detected so your workouthas now been shortened to X. 7 (−3% to −4%) High cardiovascular fatigue,your workout has been adjusted and significantly shortened to X. 8 >−4%Significant cardiovascular fatigue detected; the workout is cancelled.Stop the workout.

In the second assessment when the user is 66% of the way through theworkout the changes do not contribute to changes that have already beenmade For example a high fitness level might mean adding 20 min to theworkout at the 33% mark. At the 66% mark this figure is either confirmedor adjusted but another 20 mins is not added to the workout.

Muscle Endurance Activity Type Adjustments

Muscle endurance training involves training the muscle endurance byapplying load. The Activity Types that do this are: Rolling Hills andHills.

In the same way as the total workout volume assessment, an analysisoccurs at the 33% and 66% mark during the workout as the user iscarrying out the activity session.

The plan for Rolling Hills is to do 5 Rolling Hills and the plan forHills is to do 4 Hills. In the workout so far, the user has completed 1Rolling Hill and 1 Hill so there is still 4 Rolling Hills and 3 Hillsscheduled to be completed within the workout in the remaining time. (seeFIG. 3)

An assessment is made of the users Strength Endurance in the workout forRolling Hills and Hills.

b. Rolling Hills Assessment

In FIG. 3, the user is 33% of the way through their workout and 1Rolling Hill has been completed in the workout so far. There are 4Rolling Hills remaining to be done that are scheduled.

The first Rolling Hills shows a 2.8% drop (−2.8%) in Strength Enduranceversus the historic value.

This −2.8% drop is then applied to the following table:

1 >2% Increase reps by 30%. 2 1% to 2% Increase reps by 15%. 3 1% to −1%No change, continue workout. 4 (−1% to −2%) Reduce reps by 30%. 5 (−2%to −3%) Reduce reps by 50%. 6 (−3% to −4%) Reduce reps by 80% 7 >−4%Cancel Training Type

The correct plan modification is 5 (see table above) which requires thatthe remaining number of scheduled Rolling Hills for the workout shouldbe reduced by 50%.

There are 4 remaining Rolling Hills within the workout and these need tobe reduced by 50% meaning that the new remaining number of scheduledRolling Hills scheduled to be completed in the workout is now 2 RollingHills.

A short comment is supplied for 5 (see table above) at the 33% markthrough workout informing the user during the planned amount for RollingHills to be completed within the workout has been reduced: “Moderatemuscular fatigue has been detected, the remaining number if rollinghills to be completed has been reduced to 2 rolling hills.”

1 >2% Your strength endurance has increased, we will increase theremaining number of rolling hills to be completed. 2 1% to 2% There is aslight strength endurance improvement so we will increase the remainingnumber of rolling hills to X. 3 1% to −1% No comment. 4 (−1% to −2%)Mild muscular fatigue has been detected. I will slightly reduce theremaining number of rolling hills to be completed to X. 5 (−2% to −3%)Moderate muscular fatigue has been detected, the remaining number ofrolling hills to be completed has been reduced to X. 6 (−3% to −4%) Highmuscular fatigue identified, I have significantly reduced the remainingrolling hills to be completed to X. 7 >−4% Significant muscular fatigue,all rolling hills training is cancelled for this workout.

In the second assessment when the user is 66% of the way through theworkout the changes do not contribute to changes that have already beenmade if the adjustment is for an increase. If training is beingdecreased, the second assessment can contribute to the first where thefirst assessment may reduce training by 50% and then the secondassessment might cancel the workout. For example a high strengthendurance level might mean adding 2 extra rolling hills to the workoutat the 33% mark. At the 66% mark this figure is either confirmed oradjusted but another 2 extra rolling hills is not added to the workout.

c. Hills Assessment

The user is 33% of the way through their workout and 1 Hill has beencompleted so far. There are 3 Hills remaining to be done that areplanned for the present workout. (see FIG. 3) The first Hill shows a1.3% drop (−1.3%) in Strength Endurance versus the historic value. This−1.3% drop is then applied to the following table:

1 >2% Increase reps by 30%. 2 1% to 2% Increase reps by 15%. 3 1% to −1%No change, continue workout. 4 (−1% to −2%) Reduce reps by 30%. 5 (−2%to −3%) Reduce reps by 50%. 6 (−3% to −4%) Reduce reps by 80% 7 >−4%Cancel Training Type

The correct prescription is 4 (see the table above) which requires thatthe remaining number of scheduled hills for the workout should bereduced by 30%.

There are 3 remaining hills within the workout and these need to bereduced by 30% meaning that the new remaining number of scheduled hillsscheduled to be completed in the workout is now 2 hills (when rounded tothe nearest whole number).

2 hills are now scheduled to be completed during the remaining durationof the workout as opposed to the original plan of 3 remaining hillsneeding to be completed.

A short comment is supplied for 5 (see table below) at the 33% markthrough workout informing the user that the planned amount for Hills tobe completed within the workout has been reduced: “Mild muscular fatiguedetected, I will slightly reduce the remaining number of hills to becompleted in the workout to 2 hills.”

1 >2% Your strength endurance has increased, we will increase theremaining number of hills to be completed. 2 1% to 2% There is a slightstrength endurance improvement so we will increase the remaining numberof hills to X. 3 1% to −1% No comment. 4 (−1% to −2%) Mild muscularfatigue has been detected. I will slightly reduce the remaining numberof hills to be completed to X. 5 (−2% to −3%) Moderate muscular fatiguehas been detected, the remaining number of hills to be completed hasbeen reduced to X. 6 (−3% to −4%) High muscular fatigue identified, Ihave significantly reduced the remaining hills to be completed to X.7 >−4% Significant muscular fatigue, all hills training is cancelled forthis workout.

In the second assessment when the user is 66% of the way through theworkout the changes do not contribute to changes that have already beenmade if the adjustment is for an increase. If training is beingdecreased, the second assessment can contribute to the first where thefirst assessment may reduce training by 50% and then the secondassessment might cancel the workout. For example a high strengthendurance level might mean adding 2 extra hills to the workout at the33% mark. At the 66% mark this figure is either confirmed or adjustedbut another 2 extra hills is not added to the workout.

Speed Activity Type adjustments

Speed training involves training the user's speed ability. The ActivityTypes that do this are: Up Tempo and Anaerobic Threshold.

In the same way as the total workout volume assessment and the muscleendurance Activity Type assessments, an analysis occurs at the 33% and66% mark during the workout as the user is carrying out the activitysession.

The plan (see FIG. 3) for the Up Tempo Activity Type is to do 5repetitions of 4 mins each and the plan for the Anaerobic ThresholdActivity Type is to do 2 repetitions of 3 mins each. So far in theworkout the user has completed 1 Up Tempo repetition and 1 AnaerobicThreshold repetition so there is still 4 repetitions of Up Tempo and 1repetition of Anaerobic Threshold scheduled to be completed within theworkout in the remaining time. (see FIG. 3) An assessment is made of theusers speed in the workout by averaging the data within each ActivityType classification of Up Tempo and Anaerobic Threshold. This assessmentis carried out at the 33% and 66% marks during the workout durationmeaning all speed workout data for Up Tempo and Anaerobic Threshold isanalysed up to that point.

In this case 1 repetition of Up Tempo has been completed and 1repetition of Anaerobic Threshold has been completed by the 33% mark soassessments can be made on adjusting both the Up Tempo and AnaerobicThreshold repetition plans for the workout. If an Activity Type has notbeen completed by the 33% or 66% mark of total workout duration, theassessment of the Activity Type cannot take place. If the Activity Typereps are completed then no additions occur.

d. Up Tempo Assessment

The user is 33% of the way through their workout and 1 Up Temporepetition has been completed in the workout so far. There are 4 UpTempo repetitions remaining to be done that are planned for the presentworkout.

The Up Tempo training so far shows a 1.9% increase in Speed versus thehistoric value. This 1.9% increase is then applied to the followingtable:

1 >2% Increase reps by 30%. 2 1% to 2% Increase reps by 15%. 3 1% to −1%No change, continue workout. 4 (−1% to −2%) Reduce reps by 30%. 5 (−2%to −3%) Reduce reps by 50%. 6 (−3% to −4%) Reduce reps by 80% 7 >−4%Cancel Training Type

The correct prescription is 2 (see table above) which requires that theremaining number of scheduled Up Tempo repetitions for the workoutshould be increased by 15%.

There are 4 remaining Up Tempo repetitions within the workout and theseneed to be increased by 15%. 15% of 4 is 0.6 and when rounded to thenearest whole number means adding 1 extra Up Tempo repetition. Had theremaining number been 3 Up Tempo repetitions then 15% of 3 would be 0.45which when rounded to the nearest whole number would be 0 so no extrarepetitions would be added. In this case the new remaining number of UpTempo scheduled to be completed in the workout is now 5 Up Temporepetitions.

5 Up Tempo Repetitions are now scheduled to be completed during theremaining duration of the workout.

A short comment is supplied for 2 at the 33% mark through workoutinforming the user during their exercise that the planned amount for UpTempo to be completed within the workout has been increased: “You havehad an improvement in your speed so I will increase your Up tempo repstoday slightly to 5 reps.”

1 >2% Your speed is increased significantly. I will increase theremaining Up Tempo reps to X 2 1% to 2% You have had an improvement inyour speed so I will increase your Up Tempo reps for today slightly toX. 3 1% to −1% No comment. 4 (−1% to −2%) Mild fatigue detected. I willreduce your Up Tempo reps for today to X. 5 (−2% to −3%) Moderatefatigue identified; your remaining Up Tempo reps will be reduced to X. 6(−3% to −4%) High fatigue detected. I will significantly reduce yourremaining Up Tempo reps for todays workout to X. 7 >−4% Severe fatigue,all Up Tempo is cancelled for this workout.

In the second assessment when the user is 66% of the way through theworkout the changes do not contribute to changes that have already beenmade if the adjustment is for an increase. If training is beingdecreased, the second assessment can contribute to the first where thefirst assessment may reduce training by 50% and then the secondassessment might cancel the workout. For example a high speed resultmight mean adding 2 extra Up Tempo repetitions to the workout at the 33%mark. At the 66% mark this figure is either confirmed or adjusted butanother 2 extra Up Tempo repetitions is not added to the workout.

e. Anaerobic Threshold Assessment

The user is 33% of the way through their workout and 1 AnaerobicThreshold repetition has been completed in the workout so far. There is1 Anaerobic Threshold repetition remaining to be done that is plannedfor the present workout.

The Anaerobic Threshold repetition shows a 4.5% drop in strengthendurance versus the historic value.

This 4.5% (−4.5%) drop is then applied to the following table:

1 >2% Increase reps by 30%. 2 1% to 2% Increase reps by 15%. 3 1% to −1%No change, continue workout. 4 (−1% to −2%) Reduce reps by 30%. 5 (−2%to −3%) Reduce reps by 50%. 6 (−3% to −4%) Reduce reps by 80% 7 >−4%Cancel Training Type

The correct prescription is 7 (see table above) which requires that theremaining number of scheduled Anaerobic Threshold repetitions for theworkout be cancelled.

There is 1 remaining Anaerobic Threshold repetition within the workoutand this will be cancelled meaning that the new remaining number ofAnaerobic Threshold repetitions scheduled to be completed in the workoutis now 0.

No Anaerobic Threshold is now scheduled to be completed during theremaining duration of the workout as opposed to the original plan of 1remaining Anaerobic Threshold repetition needing to be completed.

A short comment is supplied for 7 (see the table below) at the 33% markthrough workout informing the user during their exercise that theplanned amount for Anaerobic threshold to be completed within theworkout has been cancelled: “Severe fatigue, all Anaerobic threshold iscancelled for this workout.”

1 >2% Your speed is increased significantly. I will increase theremaining Anaerobic Threshold reps to X 2 1% to 2% You have had animprovement in your speed so I will increase your Anaerobic Thresholdreps for today slightly to X. 3 1% to −1% No comment. 4 (−1% to −2%)Mild fatigue detected. I will reduce your Anaerobic Threshold reps fortoday to X. 5 (−2% to −3%) Moderate fatigue identified; your remainingAnaerobic Threshold reps will be reduced to X. 6 (−3% to −4%) Highfatigue detected. I will significantly reduce your remaining AnaerobicThreshold reps for todays workout to X. 7 >−4% Severe fatigue, allAnaerobic Threshold is cancelled for this workout.

In the second assessment when the user is 66% of the way through theworkout the changes if required do not contribute to changes that havealready been made if the adjustment is for an increase. If training isbeing decreased, the second assessment can contribute to the first wherethe first assessment may reduce training by 50% and then the secondassessment might cancel the workout. For example a high strengthendurance level might mean adding 2 extra Anaerobic Thresholdrepetitions to the workout at the 33% mark. At the 66% mark this figureis either confirmed or adjusted but another 2 extra Anaerobic Thresholdrepetitions is not added to the workout.

f. Summary of Current Real Time Workout Adjustment:

Current values 33% of the way through a 40 min workout currently at the13 min mark:

TABLE 3 Activity Type/Total Workout Volume New Planned Current OldRemaining* Remaining** Total Duration 40 mins 13 min 27 min (40-13) 19min (32-13) Anaerobic Threshold  2 (×3 mins)  1 (×3 mins)  1 (×3 mins) 0 Up Tempo  5 (×4 mins)  1 (×4 mins)  4 (×4 min)  5 (×4 min) Hills  4Hill  1 Hill  3 Hills  2 Hills Rolling Hills  5 Rolling Hills  1 RollingHill  4 Rolling Hills  2 Rolling Hills Easy (no plan, Easy occurs, whenother Activity Types are not used) *Old Remaining is the elements of theActivity Plan left to be completed within the workout **New Remainingmeans the elements of the Activity Plan left to be completed within theworkout once the real time workout adjustments have taken place.

g. Prescription Commentary at 13 Min (33%) Mark in the 40 Min Workout:

Workout “Cardiovascular fatigue detected so the workout has beenshortened to 32 mins.” Rolling Hills “Moderate muscular fatigue has beendetected, the remaining number if rolling hills to be completed has beenreduced to 2 rolling hills.” Hills “Mild muscular fatigue detected, Iwill slightly reduce the remaining number of hills to be completed inthe workout to 2 hills.” Up Tempo “You have had an improvement in yourspeed so I will increase your Up tempo reps today slightly to 5 reps.”Anaerobic Threshold “Severe fatigue, all Anaerobic threshold iscancelled for this workout.”

h. Post Workout Adjustment where the Next Workout is Set Up

A similar system to the above can determine adjustments in followingworkouts using the data obtained in the assessment at the end of thecurrently completed workout.

The values obtained for the currently completed workout are:

Training Volume adjustment shorten workout by 20% Speed TrainingAdjustments Anaerobic threshold adjustments cancel all anaerobicthreshold training Up tempo adjustments increase by 15% Muscle enduranceActivity Type adjustments Hills adjustment reduce Hills reps by 30%Rolling Hills adjustments reduce Rolling Hills reps by 50%

These adjustments can then be applied to the next workout to becompleted the following day. The most recent end of workout analysisdefines the changes to the following workout. If there is a gap of morethan 2 days the workout reverts back to what was in the original plan.

The following 2 examples show adjustments based on the users physicalstate in the current workout that can be applied to the next prescribedworkout in the long term Activity Plan to optimise their training.

TABLE 4 Activity Type & Workout Duration Planned Workout AdjustmentAdjusted Workout Training Volume Duration: 80 mins −20% 64mns AnaerobicThreshold  0 delete  0 Up tempo  0 +15%  0 Hills  2 Hills −30%  1 Hill*Rolling Hills  8 Rolling Hills −50%  4 Rolling Hills (the remainingexercise is Easy) *30% of 2 is 0.6 which means 1.4 Hills, when roundedto the nearest whole number the value is 1.

TABLE 5 Activity Type & Workout Duration Planned Workout AdjustmentAdjusted Workout Training Volume Duration: 40 mins −20% 32mns AnaerobicThreshold  2 (×3 mins) delete  0 Up tempo  4 (×6 mins) +15%  5 (×6mins)* Hills  0 −30%  1 Hill** Rolling Hills  2 Rolling Hills −50%  4Rolling Hills*** (the remaining exercise is Easy) *15% of 4 is 0.6 so+15% is 4.6 when rounded to the nearest whole number is 5. **−30% of 0is 0 ***−50% of 2 is 1 which means 1 Hill

7.2-Activity Plan Modification

Linking and Progression of Activity Types over Time within an ActivityPlan Each Activity Type is linked within an activity plan to create aprogression. In sequence Activity Types are introduced, emphasized andmaintained in a progression of changing volumes (and in some casesintensity) over time. This is because the body gradually adapts tochanging workloads. Too much change leads to injury and illness, toolittle change means that there is nothing for the body to adapt to,which means no physiological improvements, so there must be aprogressive change in Activity Types. This is referred to as‘progressive overload’.

Linking and Progression can be shown as follows in a sample long termActivity Plan example:

TABLE 6 Activity Type Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10Hills (vertical meters) 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 Up Tempo(mins) 0 0 0 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

The above example shows a gradual progression of 2 Activity Types interms of volume. They are linked in that to change one week's ActivityType value means that to maintain the gradual progression, all the othervolumes for the Activity Type need to be adapted simultaneously.

Obviously perfect compliance to the plan is rare so the plan needs to beautomatically adjusted on a regular basis to keep in line with the usersactions. If training is missed or a workout needs to be adjusted basedon the user's physiology then the whole plan must be adapted because ofthe linked progressions of Activity Types.

a. Automatically Updating a Workout in Real Time or Across the EntireActivity Plan

Automated Updating of the Entire Activity Plan

The entire Activity Plan may be altered where scheduled training that ismissed or not fully completed will affect the progression of the volumesfor that Activity Type for the rest of the training program. Also, thesystem may identify a weakness and modify the volumes of one or moreActivity Types by emphasizing one Activity Type like Up Tempo andreducing another Activity Type like Rolling Hills-effecting the linkedprogressions in volume for both Activity Types through the remainingActivity Plan or training program.

b. Altering a Single Activity Type Progression

For example if the 20 vertical meters ascended scheduled for week 1 ofthe Activity Plan was missed, the user would now have to do 100% more(i.e. start at 40 vertical meters) in week 2 leading to possible injury.(see table below)

TABLE 7 Total Weekly Training Volumes for Activity TypeActivity TypesCurrent week Activity Type Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9Wk 10 Hills (vertical meters) 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 UpTempo (mins)  0  0 0 4 6 8 10 12 14  16

The Activity Plan must therefore be able to automatically update inresponse to the data received which in this case would be that the Hilltraining had not been completed in week 1. The system (see table below)would update by starting the Hills Activity Type Progression one weeklater to keep the progression the same and would remove the maximum week(week 10, 200 in the above table).

TABLE 8 This automated update may follow: Activity Type Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Hills (vertical meters) 0 20 40 6080 100 120 140 160 180 Up Tempo (mins) 0  0  0  4  6   8  10  12  14  16

To demonstrate another example, in week 6 the User may not havecompleted enough duration in the Up Tempo Activity Type which may haveonly been 2 mins instead of the 8 mins scheduled (see table above).

The system in this cases chooses a value half way between what was doneand the original plan and continues to do this over the following weekstill the progression is back on plan. (see table below compared to tableabove)

The automated alteration of the Activity Plan might include a slightadjustment:

TABLE 9 Current week Activity Type Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Hills (vertical meters) 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200Up Tempo (mins) 0 0 0 4 6   2*    6**      9***      12****  14*Incomplete training (2 completed instead of 8 repetitions) **Originalplan = 10, Wks Previous reps = 2, 10 − 2 = 8. Half way between is 8 ÷ 2= 4. 4 + 2 = 6 ***Original plan = 12, Wks Previous reps = 6, 12 − 6 = 6.Half way between is 6 ÷ 2 = 3. 3 + 6 = 9 ****Original plan = 14, WksPrevious reps = 9, 14 − 9 = 5. Half way between is 5 ÷ 2 = 2.5. 2.5 + 9= 12 (rounded)

In another example, the user may have done too much Up Tempo in week 6where they had 8 mins prescribed and did 12 mins. The fatigue andimprovement measures show that the user was able to cope with theincrease and the alteration would be to increase the amount of Up Tempoby continuing the same percentage progression already used in the planbut using the new higher rep or volume number.

TABLE 10 Current week Activity Type Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Hills (vertical meters) 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180200 Up Tempo (mins) 0 0 0 4 6  12  14  16  18  20

c. Altering Multiple Activity Type Progressions

In some cases measurement of strength endurance levels and speed mayshow that the user has a specific need to develop a specific area oftheir physiology due to the fact that it is weak or another area is verywell developed.

In this example, Strength Endurance is trained by the Activity TypeHills. To get a strength improvement the user needs to do Hill training.Speed is characterized by the Up Tempo Activity Type and improvements inspeed would require training at Up Tempo. During the Users training, astrong Speed ability is detected but a poor Strength Endurance is alsoascertained. This requires that Speed training be diminished andStrength Endurance training be emphasized. This would mean that thesystem would reduce the Up Tempo training within the Activity Plan andincrease the Hills training like this:

TABLE 11 Activity Type Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk10 Hills (vertical meters) 20 40 65 85 110 135 165 195 215 245 Up Tempo(mins)  0  0  0  0  0  4  8  12  14  16

In this way the system is constantly updating the activity plan toclosely fit with the users current needs.

8. Definitions of Sensor Types

The system is able to be configured to many different types of sensorsand therefore is not bound to a specific device but rather may use manydifferent types of special purpose devices so long as they contain therequired sensors and provide the right parameters. It may occur alsothat the system utilizes data from sensors from several differentdevices as is the case with using a smart phone with internal GPS andheart rate data from a Zephyr HRM BT or the barometric, temperature, GPSand heart rate data from a FRWD B series device combined with theinternal accelerometer found in a smart phone.

Each specialist activity sensing category: Activity Status Monitoring,Weight Loss and Walking, Running, Cycling, Rowing and Kayaking, HorseTraining and Pedometer Monitoring will now be covered in terms ofsensors required and current devices that are available in the marketthat could utilize the system of the invention. The following exemplarydevices are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and otherdevices capable of providing the correct measurements for the systemalgorithms may be used instead and as required by the particularapplication.

8.1 Activity Status Monitoring: (Health, Military, Fire and RescueServices)

For all Activity Monitoring Classifications the sensor requirements arethe same. They all require some measure of altitude change combined withan intensity measure which can include measurements of speed, power orheart rate. Biomedical parameters such as ECG, blood pressure and HeartRate Variability may also be used.

Altitude Change:

Altitude change can be measured in many different ways through specialpurpose sensor devices. These include barometers, inclinometers, DigitalElevation Models and GPS. Altitude change is a way in which a sensor candetermine the terrain the user is on. For example an increase inaltitude or gradient indicates that the user is moving uphill, adecrease in vertical meters or a decline means the user is goingdownhill and no altitude change or a flat gradient or slope means theuser is on the flat.

Many devices currently contain digital barometers and thermometers.Examples include Suunto sports watches (e.g. Suunto X6 & T6), the TimexAltitude Barometer Adventure Tech watch, the Casio Pathfinder series ofwatches and Polar Heart Rate devices (e.g. RS800, CS600 etc).

There are also handheld barometers such as the Nova Lnyx 230-M202 andVWR handheld digital barometer 4198, both of which use barometricpressure to measure altitude.

Suunto and some cycle computer companies include inclinometers on theirdevices to measure slope/gradient change.

A digital elevation model (DEM) is a digital representation of groundsurface topography or terrain. Various data sets are available ofdiffering accuracy levels based on satellite surveys of the earthincluding the Shuttle Radar Topography mission in 2000. Once thecoordinates of a user are known their position can be overlaid onto thetopography of their location in real time or in post processing. DigitalElevation Models (sometimes known as Digital Terrain Models) are usedfor post processing of data by companies like Bones in Motion andSportsdo.

Garmin uses GPS in its Forerunner 205, 305 and 405 series watches toshow altitude. Garmin also have devices like the Garmin eTrex Summit HCwhich are handheld and contain a barometer for altitude. GPS altitude isobtained by the triangulation of satellites in the sky overhead at thetime.

Intensity:

Speed

Speed can be measured a number of ways through a number of sensors fromcrude accelerometer algorithms like in the Zephyr HRM BT, Nike+ and theTimex Pedometer with Speed, through to more sophisticated algorithmslike Dynastream use in their speed pods which are licensed to companieslike Polar for their RS800, FT80 and 625 products, and like the Adidasmicoach Pacer and Suunto T6.

Other devices such as Fitbit, Fitlinxx Actiped and Directlife trackactivity through accelerometers. Bodymedia's Fit system, Mytrak's M2 andPolar's FA20 all track movement but not necessarily speed.

GPS can also be used to obtain speed data and is used in a host ofdevices such as the Polar G3 GPS sensor, the Garmin Forerunner 205, 305and 405 models as well as many apps like Runkeeper, Sportsdo and Bonesin Motion X app that rely on either mobile phones with internal GPS orlinked to an external GPS.

There are devices like the Mobimotion Spurty chest strap that containsboth a heart rate monitor and GPS that Bluetooth data to a phone andmany other devices that accept and log Bluetooth data such as the FRWD Wand B series.

In the case of military, fire and rescue services, the system couldswitch from outdoor location to indoor location detection. Crude speedmeasures could utilise infrared, ultrasonic, RFID, UWB and signalstrength systems.

Power

Power for a walker or runner currently can only be inferred by applyinga Power algorithm to the data based on speed, the user's weight and theslope or gradient at the time. It may not be too long before power willbe more directly measured using force plates in shoes or by convertingacceleration data in a shoe to power.

Crude power measures may be able to be inferred from the above mentionedindoor location detection systems.

Heart Rate

Heart rate can be measured directly currently through a strap thatcontains 2 electrodes that is placed across the chest and was originallydesigned by Polar Electro which filed its patent in 1979 and is theworld leader in wireless chest strap heart rate monitors. The patent hasnow expired and many other companies use this technology includingTimex, Suunto, Garmin, Cardiosport, Impulse and Zephyr.

There are now many Heart Rate Monitor straps like the Zephyr HRM BT andthe Mobimotion Spurty chest strap that do not have a data receiver butrather Bluetooth data to devices like a mobile phone. Still otherdevices like the SMHeartLink act as a bluetooth receiver for the Appleiphone to accept heart rate data from a heart rate strap and the FRWD Bseries devices that are able to receive broadcast heart rate data frommost wireless heart rate straps and resend the data to a phone viaBluetooth Other devices receive broadcast data using the ANT+ signal.

There are other methods to obtain heart rate which includes a straplessheart monitor like the Mio heart rate monitor that requires the user toplace 2 fingers on the electrodes on the watch face to obtain heart ratemeasurement.

It is possible to obtain heart rate through infrared where light changeis used to measure heart beats and also disposable electrodes as opposedto straps.

R-R (Relaxation Rate) or HRV (Heart Rate Variability) could also be usedto measure intensity on the body. Heart rate variability measures theaverage of the time (in ms) between a series of heart beats and the moreintense the effort the more uniform the time between heart beats. FRWD,and some Suunto and Polar devices are able to measure heart ratevariability. It is conceivable that in the very near future heart ratemay be able to be measured through the wrist, finger or via some othermeans which may include Respiration Rate. Respiration rate is calculatedby measuring expansion of the chest using a chest strap as used in theZephyr Bioharness. Another method for measuring heart rate as in theFirstbeat licensed system to Suunto and FRWD derives respiration rateand ventilation (which could also be used to measure intensity) throughheart rate which increases during inhalation.

Stride Rate

Stride rate may also be used as an extra classification parameter. Thisinvolves the use of an accelerometer that records the repetitive impactfor each stride which is then summed over 1 minute of time providing ameasure of strides per minute. Stride rate is a handy extra measure asit can be used to determine the speed of leg movement which furthercontributes to building a picture of what the user is doing. A striderate of 55 strides per minute indicates that the user is walking, 80strides per minute is easy running, and 90 strides per minute would befast running for example. The Polar RS800 measures and displays striderate in real time and most smart phones contain accelerometers thesedays which can be used to measure stride rates on a phone by countingimpacts over time.

There are 3 inactive classifications within Activity Status Monitoring;Inactive Upright, Inactive Rest and Inactive Prone. None of these usealtitude change to classify the activity. But rather use speed, heartrate (or respiration rate) and an accelerometer.

Positional Status (Accelerometer)

All Inactive classifications require a positional status measurement viaan accelerometer as seen in most smart phones these days which use 2 or3 axis sensors within the accelerometer to determine whether the deviceis upright or prone which can in turn determine whether the user (ordevice at least) is vertical or horizontal so long as the device is in afixed position on the user.

Movement (Speed)

Speed can be established using an accelerometer or GPS to determinewhether the user is moving or stationary. Power can be inferred fromspeed.

8.2 Weight Loss—Walking and Running Classification

All weight loss classifications use exactly the same sensor measurementsystems as Activity Status Monitoring. The devices that hold the sensorsmay vary though. Devices such as BodyMedia's fit system device and theMytrak M2 are portable weight loss recreational fitness devices.

The Polar FA20 activity tracker for example can also be used todetermine calories burned. There are 2 wrist devices built by Adidas andNike known as the micoach Zone and the Nike Sportband which also containaccelerometers.

Weight loss may include the use of machines that can simulate altitudechange (going up or down a hill) in various mechanical ways (like usinga predetermined incline) for determining gradient or slope in equipmentlike treadmills

Treadmill manufacturers can preset inclines on their treadmills andprogram them to show various inclines based on an inbuilt program orthrough manual adjustment by the user. There are now various flash thumbdrive USB plug-in devices that record training conducted on treadmillsand other gym equipment.

8.3 Running Classification

Running has a series of classifications very similar to the ActivityStatus Monitoring and Weight Loss. The inactive classification is thesame as the Inactive Upright classification for both previousclassification systems.

The other classifications: Easy, Rolling Hills, Hills, Long Climbs, HillEfforts, Up Tempo, Anaerobic Threshold, Sprints and Overspeed usealtitude change and intensity (speed, power or heart rate) and can usestride rate as another method of determining intensity forclassification of activity types.

Altitude Change

All the classifications incorporate the sensors in the same way asmentioned above in Activity Status Monitoring. Devices that contain abarometer or GPS can all determine altitude change like the Suunto andPolar Products as well as Mobimotion. A DEM can be used with any GPScompliant device like a mobile phone and altitude can be determined fromGPS as in the Garmin devices.

Intensity

Speed

Devices like the Nike+, Nike Sportband, Adidas micoach Zone and Pacer,Suunto and Polar devices which contain accelerometers are designed tomeasure running speed. Mobimotion, FRWD and Polar G3 GPS devices andphone applications that utilize internal or external GPS for determiningspeed like Bones in Motion, AllsportGPS and imapmyrun are also speciallydesigned for running.

Health Applications like Fitbit, Fitlinxx Actiped and Directlife,Bodymedia's Fit system, Mytrak's M2 and Polar's FA20 are not designedfor running.

Heart Rate

The basis of Heart Rate sensor technology does not change with use indifferent sports and is therefore the same as Activity StatusMonitoring.

Stride Rate

As above, Stride Rate can also be used as another form of intensitymeasure utilizing an accelerometer in a speed pod like the Polar RS800or an accelerometer contained in a phone. Adidas measure stride rateusing a waist mounted Pacer and the wrist version known as the Zone.

The Running classification ‘Overspeed’ requires altitude change,intensity AND stride rate for classification.

8.4 Field Sports

Field sports have some demand for altitude change (determining the factthat the player is jumping vertically, horizontally or is on theground.) Very accurate understandings of speed and speed change are alsovital to analysis of activity.

Field sports can use exactly the same technology as the runningdescriptions above with 2 extra possibilities.

Players can wear transmitters that can be triangulated on the side ofthe playing field by receivers that can be used to calculate speed.Sophisticated video motion capture can be used to do the same thing.

A digital compass may also be employed to measure prescription the useris facing and therefore the user's movement (i.e. backwards, lateraletc).

8.5 Rowing and Kayaking:

Rowing and kayaking once again have no need for a measure of altitudechange to ascertain resistance so stroke rate is substituted formeasuring altitude change. Inactive, Easy, Slow Full Pressure, TempoLoad, Up Tempo, Anaerobic Threshold, Starts and Moves are all measuredin the same way.

Stroke Rate:

Stroke rate is usually measured in rowing based on a magnet beingattached to and under the rowers moving seat and a sensor is placed inthe boat directly below the seat. A stroke is sensed every 2^(nd) timethe magnet passes over the sensor. This count is then measured versusone minute which provides the ability to measure strokes per minute.Strokes per minute can be measured more directly at the rigger, by forcesensors in the blade of the oar, or by the increase in boat oscillationspeed, or be change in force measured by an accelerometer as the rowertakes a stroke.

Similar methods can be applied to Swimming as evidenced by the SpeedoStrokz Stroke Counter that was available in the late 1990's.

The seat magnet and sensor is commonplace in rowing and there is now newSurge Rate technology incorporating a 3 axis accelerometer to measurethe change in force that denotes a kayaker or rower's stroke, therebyallowing stroke rate to be determined when combined with time as inNielsen Kellerman Rowing and Kayaking devices like the Stroke Coach, CoxBox and Speed Coach.

Stroke Rate can also be mechanically measured in indoor rowing machinessuch as a Concept 2 rowing ergometer, by measuring a change in power orspeed in the fan used for resistance, by a change in prescription of thechain/cable attached to the rowing handle, or by using the magnet andsensor under the rower's seat.

It may also be possible to fix an accelerometer to a kayaker's paddleshaft to measure the oscillation in the blade entering the water on theleft and right sides of the boat.

Intensity:

Speed:

Speed can be measured via GPS or an impeller to measure speed throughthe water. Speed can be measured for an indoor rowing ergometer by thebraking pressure for braked devices or by the speed at which the fanspins at.

Impellers are used in Nielsen Kellerman products like the Stroke Coach,Cox Box and Speed Coach for rowing. The Garmin Forerunner series areoften used by kayakers which utilize GPS.

Heart Rate:

Heart rate is measured by a receiver of some kind like a Polar or Garminheart rate monitor. They can also be incorporated into a devicemeasuring all required data like the receiver used in Concept 2 rowingergometers taking transmitted heart rate data from a chest strap whichis then incorporated into the devices measurement. The Garmin Forerunner305 and 405 both obtain heart rate data which can be used by Kayakers.

8.6 Cycling: (Applies to Triathlon, Mountain Biking, Road, Track and BMXCycling)

Cycling incorporates slightly different technology to running in thatthe data must be obtained from a bicycle.

The same basic concept applies as it did for running in that the usermust use a combination of altitude change and intensity with an extraclassification being cadence.

The following classifications require altitude change and Intensity;Easy, Rolling Hills, Hills, Long Climbs, Hill Efforts, Up Tempo, andAnaerobic Threshold.

The following classifications require altitude change, Intensity andcadence; Flat Big Gear, Big Gear Time Trial, Power, and Sprint.

Altitude Change:

Altitude change can be determined in exactly the same way as in runningthrough a barometer, GPS, DEM or inclinometer. In this case inclinationcan be used very effectively when mounted on a bicycle which isperfectly level on the flat. Devices like the Sigma BC 2209 MHR andGarmin Edge 705 contain a barometer for altitude measure. The Sigma Rox8.0 uses an inclinometer as well as a barometer to measure slope orgradient.

There are various cycle ergometers which use various systems to createthe equivalent of altitude change. These can be complete bike ergometersor machines that a bike is placed into. The cycle simulatormanufacturers can program their devices to increase resistance tosimulate gradient or slope through mechanical braking (e.g. Monarch andCateye CS1000) or electronic braking (e.g. Tracx and Computrainer) andcan also use real incline change.

Intensity:

Speed:

Speed for cycling is achieved by attaching a magnet to a spoke on thefront or rear wheel of the bike of known circumference and each time themagnet passes a sensor on the forks or rear stay on the bike thedistance is added. The distance versus time gives speed. Speed can alsobe measured through GPS and even converted back through power orcalculated from wind speed. Most bike computers use a magnet on thespokes like the Polar CS300. Indirectly it would be possible tocalculate speed from knowing the gear the rider is in.

Power:

Power is usually a direct measure in cycling. Power measurement forcycling was pioneered by SRM who use strain gauges attached to the largefront sprockets (chainrings) at the bottom bracket attached to the pedalcranks. PowerTap use a system originally used in the Look Max One wherethe power is measured in the hub of the rear wheel. Ergomo use powermeasured from the bottom bracket directly.

There have been several indirect measurements of power most notablybeing the Polar system (e.g. 625X or 725 products) which measures thestrain on the chain as the cyclist is riding.

Other cycle computers indirectly compute power by measuring acombination of speed, weight and slope or gradient.

An indirect way of assessing power is present in the Shimano Flight Deckand in the Australian Institute of Sport system which measures the gearthat the rider is in allowing a calculation of distance per pedalstroke. In each case the gear that the rider is in, is known and thedistance for each gear for a pedal turn is fixed.

Heart Rate:

Heart rate measurement is available on many cycle computers (e.g. PolarCS300, Sigma Rox 8.0, SRM).

Cadence or Distance per Pedal Stroke:

Cadence is a useful extra measure which usually involves a magnet on thepedal arm (crank) passing a sensor on the chain stay of the bike. Thiscan indicate one pedal revolution and when used in conjunction with timecreates a pedal cadence measure in revolutions per minute. Distance perpedal stroke is another very useful measure that can be calculated byknowing the gear that the rider is in (e.g. Shimano Flight Deck) or byknowing the distance traveled in a pedal revolution which involves acadence measure and a distance measure (which is based on the speedmeasure).

The SRM system incorporates altitude change, speed, power, heart rateand cadence as measures for example.

8.7 Horse Training Horse training is the relationship in most casesbetween heart rate and speed or power and terrain is used occasionally.

For Inactive, Walk, Trot, Canter, Gallop, Fast Gallop and Sprint thefollowing combination of Speed or Power and Heart Rate applies:

Speed:

Speed for horse training is measured through GPS devices like GPS-SpeedGenie GT31, the GPSsports Spi Pro or FRWD. Theoretically a speed pod maybecome available for horses. For trotting a magnet can be fixed to awheel and a sensor can be fitted to the sulky to calculate speed.

Power:

Power could potentially be employed for horses but currently there is nosuch product.

Intensity:

Heart Rate:

Heart rate has been measured for horses for over 15 years using variousPolar Equine Heart Rate monitors like the Polar Equine RS800CX G3 or theCS600X for trotting.

Stride Rate and Length would also make excellent data for classificationbut are as yet unavailable.

Hill Efforts combines terrain (a change in altitude as discussedpreviously) and speed, power or heart rate.

8.8 Pedometer Monitoring:

Pedometer monitoring uses a multi axis accelerometer which can be foundin smart phones but may also be present in other Pedometer like devicessuch as the Polar FA20, the Directlife system, Fitbit, Fitlinxx Actiped,Bodymedia's Fit system and Mytrak's M2 device which all track movement.

System Requirements

It will be appreciated that the system of the invention may beimplemented on any suitable hardware system, platform or architecture.The hardware system may be provided on-board a device used by the useror on a remote server for example, and preferably comprises at least aprocessor for running the classification system and in particular thealgorithms, at least one memory component for storing at least thealgorithms and the threshold criteria, and interface circuitry forcommunicating with external components that either directly orindirectly provide sensor output data. It will be appreciated that theprocessor may be any form of programmable hardware device, whether aCPU, Digital Signal Processor, Field-Programmable Gate Array,Microcontroller, Application-Specific Integrated Circuit, or the like.

There are 3 possible configurations for housing the classificationsystem.

The data is processed ‘on board’ a measurement device (i.e. theclassification system is within the measurement/monitoring device),

Data is processed via manual (controlled by user) or automatic transfer(upload and download) of data via a communications network (e.g.telecommunications, wifi etc) to a remote server that contains theclassification system,

or manual or automatic transfer of data to a home computer that eithercontains the system or that transfers (upload and download) the data toa remote server that contains the system.

The system may house the infrastructure for the Data Acquisition Module,Classification Engine, Compliance Engine, Performance Engine, TrainingPlan Generator and Alert Generator. This may also allow a person,trainer or coach to input the one or more parameters and/or the one ormore associated thresholds that define an activity.

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary diagram of a user 900 exercising or engagingin one or more activities (i.e. engaging in an activity session) whilstwearing one or more data measurement devices 905 (which can be anycombination of devices as explained in the sensor types section above).The data measurement device(s) 905 collect information on the activitysession and in particular data streams associated with the parametersrequired to classify the activities performed during the user'sexercise/activity session. The data measurement device(s) 905 mayautomatically process the data ‘on board’ (or manually when the userprompts the device to process the data for example) if theClassification Engine is housed within the monitoring device(s).Alternatively or in addition the data may be automatically sent over toan analysis system 920 (which may reside in a remote server or a homecomputer), either wirelessly or via cables, and if sent to a remoteserver preferably e.g. via a network. Instead of automatic transmissionof the data, the user may upload the data manually to a home computer910 connected to the analysis system 920 via a network 915 or evendirectly to a remote server where the analysis system resides. Thesystem (whether in the data measurement device, personal computer orremote server or elsewhere) processes the data by accessing memory 925(again this may be in the monitoring device, personal computer or remoteserver and is not necessarily in the same place as the processingcircuitry) containing the classification system algorithms and thresholdcriteria (and preferably user information) to determine the activitiesconducted and the level of performance as described above. The system920 may then interpret this data and any other activity data provided bythe devices 905 to provide feedback to the user and/or alter a trainingprogram stored in memory 925. The analysis system 920 may communicate tothe user's computer or devices 905 via any communication means known inthe art.

The invention is also intended to cover a method of analysing anexercise session as employed by the system described above.

The foregoing description of the invention includes preferred formsthereof. Modifications may be made thereto without departing from thescope of the invention.

1. A method comprising: receiving, by a processor, activity data of one or more sensors, the activity data comprising a plurality of sensor measurements associated with multiple parameters monitored during an activity session of a user; retrieving a set of criteria that comprises thresholds to detect a plurality of inactivity types, wherein the set comprises a criterion related to a physical activity; classifying, by the processor based on the set of criteria, the received activity data of the one or more sensors into one or more segments, wherein the one or more segments comprise a segment comprising a portion of the activity data corresponding to an inactivity type of the plurality of inactivity types; and generating output based on the classifying.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor measurements comprise a plurality of positional status measurements and wherein the plurality of inactivity types comprise at least one or more of inactive upright, inactive rest, inactive prone, lying, sitting, standing, the user is vertical, or the user is horizontal.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the positional status measurements are based on an accelerometer comprising a plurality of axis sensors.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity session comprises activities associated with a plurality of different activity types and the different activity types comprise the inactivity type, and further comprising detecting the plurality of different activity types of the activity session by comparing the received activity data with a plurality of sets of criteria, wherein each of the plurality of sets corresponds to a multi-parameter zone for an activity type.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: accessing historical data associated with the user, the historical data comprising a second segment of historical data corresponding to the inactivity type; comparing the segment comprising the portion of the received activity data and the second segment comprising historical data; and determining a performance value for the activity type based on the comparing of the segment and the second segment.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the output comprises an alert that is provided to the user during the activity session that comprises the inactivity type.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the alert comprises one or more of a performance measure based on the performance value, an instruction to modify an activity of the user during the activity session, or a modification to a training plan for the planned workout.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple parameters monitored comprise at least one or more of electrocardiograph (ECG), blood pressure (BP), body temperature, oxygen saturation, respiration rate, energy expenditure, energy intake, heart rate, heart rate variability, speed, power, acceleration, force, or oxygen uptake.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple parameters monitored comprise one or more of altitude, slope, or gradient.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple parameters comprise an effort parameter monitored during the activity session, wherein the effort parameter comprises one or more of power, acceleration, or force measurements.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple parameters comprise a biomechanical parameter, wherein the biomechanical parameter comprises one of vertical oscillation, leg power balance, arm power balance, power through range of motion, foot strike impact, time on ground, and foot strike pattern.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple parameters comprise a turnover parameter that comprises one or more of a stride rate, a cadence, a stroke rate, step rate, or distance per limb turnover.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple parameters comprise an environmental parameter that comprises one or more of a temperature, a humidity, or a wind speed.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the classifying further comprises comparing measurements of the received activity data against at least one lower threshold of the set and at least one upper threshold of the set.
 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising: accessing a training plan corresponding to the activity session, wherein the training plan indicates a plurality of activity types that include the inactivity type; comparing at least some of the plurality of sensor measurements of the received activity data to one or more measurements of the training plan; and determining conformity with the training plan based on one or more of duration, distance, intensity, number of distinct activity types, number of instances of an activity type, and rest periods between activity types.
 16. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining one or more physiological performance measures for the user based on the comparing, wherein the one or more physiological performance measures comprise one or more of cardiovascular, neurocardio, or muscular performance measures.
 17. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining an overall performance measure in view of the comparing of the segment of the received activity data and the second segment of historical data, wherein the overall performance measure is based on scores assigned to one or more of endurance, strength endurance, and speed.
 18. A non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: receive activity data of one or more sensors, the activity data comprising a plurality of sensor measurements associated with multiple parameters monitored during an activity session of a user; retrieve a set of criteria that comprises thresholds to detect a plurality of inactivity types, wherein the set comprises a criterion related to a physical activity; classify, based on the set of criteria, the received activity data of the one or more sensors into one or more segments, wherein the one or more segments comprise a segment comprising a portion of the activity data corresponding to an inactivity type of the plurality of inactivity types; and generate output based on the classifying.
 19. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of sensor measurements comprise a plurality of positional status measurements and wherein the plurality of inactivity types comprise at least one or more of inactive upright, inactive rest, inactive prone, lying, sitting, standing, the user is vertical, or the user is horizontal.
 20. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the positional status measurements are based on an accelerometer comprising a plurality of axis sensors.
 21. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the activity session comprises activities associated with a plurality of different activity types and the different activity types comprise the inactivity type, and the instructions further cause the processor to detect the plurality of different activity types of the activity session by comparing the received activity data with a plurality of sets of criteria, wherein each of the plurality of sets corresponds to a multi-parameter zone for an activity type.
 22. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: access historical data associated with the user, the historical data comprising a second segment of historical data corresponding to the inactivity type; compare the segment comprising the portion of the received activity data and the second segment comprising historical data; and determine a performance value for the activity type based on the comparing of the segment and the second segment.
 23. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the output comprises an alert that is provided to the user during the activity session that comprises the inactivity type.
 24. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the alert comprises one or more of a performance measure based on the performance value, an instruction to modify an activity of the user during the activity session, or a modification to a training plan for the planned workout.
 25. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the multiple parameters monitored comprise at least one or more of electrocardiograph (ECG), blood pressure (BP), body temperature, oxygen saturation, respiration rate, energy expenditure, energy intake, heart rate, heart rate variability, speed, power, acceleration, force, or oxygen uptake.
 26. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the multiple parameters monitored comprise at least one or more of altitude, slope, or gradient.
 27. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the multiple parameters comprise an effort parameter monitored during the activity session, wherein the effort parameter comprises one or more of power, acceleration, or force measurements.
 28. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the multiple parameters comprise a biomechanical parameter, wherein the biomechanical parameter comprises one of vertical oscillation, leg power balance, arm power balance, power through range of motion, foot strike impact, time on ground, and foot strike pattern.
 29. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the multiple parameters comprise a turnover parameter that comprises one or more of a stride rate, a cadence, a stroke rate, step rate, or distance per limb turnover.
 30. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the multiple parameters comprise an environmental parameter that comprises one or more of a temperature, a humidity, or a wind speed.
 31. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein to classify, the processor is to, compare measurements of the received activity data against at least one lower threshold of the set and at least one upper threshold of the set.
 32. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: access a training plan corresponding to the activity session, wherein the training plan indicates a plurality of activity types that include the inactivity type; compare at least some of the plurality of sensor measurements of the received activity data to one or more measurements of the training plan; and determine conformity with the training plan based on one or more of duration, distance, intensity, number of distinct activity types, number of instances of an activity type, and rest periods between activity types.
 33. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine one or more physiological performance measures for the user based on the comparing, wherein the one or more physiological performance measures comprise one or more of cardiovascular, neurocardio, or muscular performance measures.
 34. The non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine an overall performance measure in view of the comparing of the segment of the received activity data and the second segment of historical data, wherein the overall performance measure is based on scores assigned to one or more of endurance, strength endurance, and speed.
 35. A system comprising: a memory; and a processor operatively coupled to the memory, the processor to execute instructions that cause the processor to: receive activity data of one or more sensors, the activity data comprising a plurality of sensor measurements associated with multiple parameters monitored during an activity session of a user; retrieve a set of criteria that comprise thresholds to detect a plurality of inactivity types, wherein the set comprises a criterion related to a physical activity; classify, based on the set of criteria, the received activity data of the one or more sensors into one or more segments, wherein the one or more segments comprise a segment comprising a portion of the activity data corresponding to an inactivity type of the plurality of inactivity types; and generate output based on the classifying.
 36. The system of claim 35, wherein the plurality of sensor measurements comprise a plurality of positional status measurements and wherein the plurality of inactivity types comprise at least one or more of inactive upright, inactive rest, inactive prone, lying, sitting, standing, the user is vertical, or the user is horizontal.
 37. The system of claim 36, wherein the positional status measurements are based on an accelerometer comprising a plurality of axis sensors.
 38. The system of claim 35, wherein the activity session comprises activities associated with a plurality of different activity types and the different activity types comprise the inactivity type, and the processor is further to detect the plurality of different activity types of the activity session by comparing the received activity data with a plurality of sets of criteria, wherein each of the plurality of sets corresponds to a multi-parameter zone for an activity type.
 39. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further to: access historical data associated with the user, the historical data comprising a second segment of historical data corresponding to the inactivity type; compare the segment comprising the portion of the received activity data and the second segment comprising historical data; and determine a performance value for the activity type based on the comparing of the segment and the second segment.
 40. The system of claim 39, wherein the output comprises an alert that is provided to the user during the activity session that comprises the inactivity type.
 41. The system of claim 40, wherein the alert comprises one or more of a performance measure based on the performance value, an instruction to modify an activity of the user during the activity session, or a modification to a training plan for the planned workout.
 42. The system of claim 35, wherein the multiple parameters monitored comprise at least one or more of electrocardiograph (ECG), blood pressure (BP), body temperature, oxygen saturation, respiration rate, energy expenditure, energy intake, heart rate, heart rate variability, speed, power, acceleration, force, or oxygen uptake.
 43. The system of claim 35, wherein the multiple parameters monitored comprise at least one or more of altitude, slope, or gradient.
 44. The system of claim 35, wherein the multiple parameters comprise an effort parameter monitored during the activity session, wherein the effort parameter comprises one or more of power, acceleration, or force measurements.
 45. The system of claim 35, wherein the multiple parameters comprise a biomechanical parameter, wherein the biomechanical parameter comprises one of vertical oscillation, leg power balance, arm power balance, power through range of motion, foot strike impact, time on ground, and foot strike pattern.
 46. The system of claim 35, wherein the multiple parameters comprise a turnover parameter that comprises one or more of a stride rate, a cadence, a stroke rate, step rate, or distance per limb turnover.
 47. The system of claim 35, wherein the multiple parameters comprise an environmental parameter that comprises one or more of a temperature, a humidity, or a wind speed.
 48. The system of claim 35, wherein to classify, the processor is further to, compare measurements of the received activity data against at least one lower threshold of the set and at least one upper threshold of the set.
 49. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further to: access a training plan corresponding to the activity session, wherein the training plan indicates a plurality of activity types that include the inactivity type; compare at least some of the plurality of sensor measurements of the received activity data to one or more measurements of the training plan; and determine conformity with the training plan based on one or more of duration, distance, intensity, number of distinct activity types, number of instances of an activity type, and rest periods between activity types.
 50. The system of claim 39, wherein the processor is further to determine one or more physiological performance measures for the user based on the comparing, wherein the one or more physiological performance measures comprise one or more of cardiovascular, neurocardio, or muscular performance measures.
 51. The system of claim 39, wherein the processor is further to determine an overall performance measure in view of the comparing of the segment of the received activity data and the second segment of historical data, wherein the overall performance measure is based on scores assigned to one or more of endurance, strength endurance, and speed. 